IOU
by AvaC
Summary: A doctor signs an I.O.U. at a poker game a few years ago... didn't think to pay it off she'd end up in the Pegasus Galaxy.. Original character
1. Chapter 1

Riley walked up the steps of the white Victorian townhouse she'd been renting for the last months to find a man standing on her porch. "Dr Callahan?" he asked. "Yes I am, what can I do for you?" Riley asked as she reached the top step. "I'm Dr Daniel Jackson" He said offering a hand, Riley shook his hand and then turned to open her door "I've been expecting you" she said as she turned the key in the lock. "Really?" Daniel replied, surprised.

"Yep I figured Boyd wouldn't give up so easily, come in" Riley said as she opened the door, Daniel followed her in.

Riley closed the door and shrugged out of her jacket and walked down the hallway to the Kitchen with Daniel following her. The townhouse was a two level spacious open living style. The bottom floor had the kitchen, dining, lounge and study all open plan with no walls separating the rooms. To the left there were stairs that lead up to the bedrooms and bathrooms. "Have a seat" she gestured to the lounge area "Would you like some tea, coffee, beer?" she asked as she stepped into the kitchen dropping the keys on the bench.

"Coffee would be great" Daniel said as he sat down, "So I guess you know why I'm here" he continued he looked around the place before continuing "Dr Boyd says I'm not to leave until you say yes". He noticed one moving box in the corner "You just move here?" he asked.

Riley came over with a tray that had milk sugar and a cup of coffee she placed it on the coffee table and took a seat opposite him. "Yeah 6 months ago, and you might want to make yourself comfortable because I'm not changing my mind anytime soon" she said as she handed him a cup of coffee. Daniel chuckled "he told me you were best for the job after me of course" He said as he spooned sugar into his coffee.

"Then why don't you do it?" Riley asked as she opened her beer "You don't mind?" she gestured to her drinking beer, Daniel shook his head.

"I'm unavailable to take the job where as you are-"

"free as a bird?" Riley cut in "Look I don't think I'm even qualified to run a department and anyway even if I was all I know he's working on some international base, out in woop woop" she took a sip of her beer and reclined.

Daniel pulled a pen and a file out of his satchel and passed it across the table to Riley "Boyd wouldn't have chosen you if you weren't qualified. Sign it and I'll tell you everything" he said. Riley put her beer on the table and looked at the non disclosure she picked up the pen signed it without even looking at it. She'd signed so many over the last 3 years it didn't matter. She passed it back to Daniel.

The next hour Daniel went into great lengths of about the Stargate program and Atlantis and the Ancients. "You can spin a pretty good yarn" Riley said complimenting him. "But I'm still not taking the job" She said casually, looking at Daniel he'd just told her about a job in another galaxy. It was all ludicrous.

"You will" Daniel said with such assuredly it piqued Riley's interest. "Oh I am and what makes you so sure?" she challenged

"Because I have this" Daniel pulled an envelope out his satchel and handed it to Riley.

Riley opened it still holding her beer "You got to be kidding me" she groaned as she recognized the contents of the envelope.

"When do we go?" She sighed closing the envelope.

"Now" Daniel said cheerfully, standing up he pulled a radio out "Two to beam up Daedalus"


	2. Chapter 2

3 weeks later,

Riley was beamed down from the Daedalus to the Gate room of Atlantis. Her long red hair hung loose and straight, wearing her favourite dark grey pinstriped suit and slacks with a light grey singlet underneath and her favourite kitten heeled ankle boots on. Riley felt relieved to get off the Daedalus she didn't know how Laura could stand being cooped up on that ship for so long.

"Riley Callahan" Riley smiled as she recognised Dr Weir the woman had not changed since the last time they had met. "Dr Weir, it's good to see you again" Riley said as they shook hands

"What has it been 2 years?" Elizabeth asked. "Yeah something like that" Riley replied as she followed Elizabeth up the main stairs.

"Dr Boyd told me to expect you, I hope you don't mind that I'm throwing you in the deep end… with the meeting of the department heads" Elizabeth informed Riley. "No dramas, I'm up to date on everything going on here… Where is Dr Boyd?" Riley asked as they entered the briefing room.

"He returned to Earth only 30 minutes ago"

"How convenient" Riley quipped sarcastically as she took a seat to the left of Elizabeth who sat at the head of the room. Riley pulled the envelope and handed it to Elizabeth. "What's this?" Elizabeth asked as she opened it.

"The reason why you are graced with my presence of course" Riley replied as she leaned back in her chair. Elizabeth laughed as she pulled out the post it note that was in it "I can't believe he actually kept this" she commented as she read it.

Sheppard and Lorne walked into the room, they heard Dr Weir and another laughing at a note Weir was reading. The woman next to Weir looked to be in her late twenties she was dressed in a well tailored suit and with very pale skin and long red hair that reach below her shoulders.

She stopped laughing when she noted Lorne and Sheppard's presence and sat up in her chair. "Don't stop on our account" Sheppard said as he strolled into the room. Weir turned in her chair "Lt Colonel John Sheppard, Major Evan Lorne this is Riley Callahan. She is filling in for Dr Boyd" Weir explained.

Riley got up from her chair and shook hands with them. "Pleasure" Riley said there was a slight feel of mischievousness in her cerulean eyes and smile, Lorne noted she was just a few inches shorter than him as well as her lithe yet voluptuous figure that was neatly wrapped in the tailored suit. "I hope I'm not sitting in anyone's seat" she said as she re took her seat. "Nope" Sheppard replied. Lorne opted the seat next to Riley, he lounged back in his chair as Sheppard plucked the post it out of Elizabeth's hand.

"Is this an I.O.U? Elizabeth I'm shocked" he said he raised his eyebrows in amusement. "If only it were mine" Elizabeth quipped, Sheppard read the post it and looked at Riley "Wow, how does a guy get an I.O.U. like this from you?" he asked Riley waving the post it note in the air. "It's called Poker" Riley said smirking.

"Major, I think we may have to have a poker night… I could use a few I.O.U.'s like this one" Sheppard commented, he handed Lorne the note.

"You'll have to excuse the grammar I was pretty legless at the time" she said, as Lorne read the note. There on the yellow 5 by 5 post it note in hand writing it read 'I OWE YOU, Dr Henry Boyd: One favour in which will the terms of repayment are non-negotiable and unconditional, no questions asked, no complaints..not that I complain! I will complete the favour (because I'm Good on my word) signed Riley Elsa Callahan' there were two signatures and a third below with 'Witness to the I OWE YOU Dr E. Weir'.

Lorne smothered a smile and looked at Riley she seemed completely unabashed even enjoying herself at their amusement. "So you are in the Pegasus Galaxy because of a post it note?" Lorne asked, sizing her up.

"Yep, a debt is a debt. Considering it's my only one and I think I got off easy. What's a few months in another galaxy" Riley said with a casual shrug, she plucked the post it note from his hand and tucked it into her jacket pocket.

"So if you two can ixnay on the I.O.U. I'd greatly appreciate it" She said as other department heads came into the room.

"Only if you have breakfast with us" Sheppard replied "I want to hear how Elizabeth witnessed this event" he said rubbing his hands together. Elizabeth shook her head and laughed. Sheppard took the seat next to Lorne and they both exchanged looks that read 'breakfast is going to be good today'.

McKay and Zelenka were the last to arrive as soon as they sat down Elizabeth started the meeting. Lorne folded his arms, in his usual composed way, he rarely had anything to say at these meetings and when he did Sheppard usually beat him to the punch.

So he was only paying half attention to what was going on. The other half seemed to be focused on Miss Callahan. She seemed completely at ease, leaning back in her chair you wouldn't think it was her first day here. He had to say it was always good to get fresh blood into Atlantis.


	3. Chapter 3

An hour later the meeting had concluded. Riley, Sheppard and Lorne were seated in the Mess eating breakfast. Riley had told them of how she met Dr Boyd and Dr Weir 2 years ago over 3 days of negotiating some land treaty. At the end Riley was offered a job and invited to dinner in celebration. "And then I laid down my dead man's hand only to lose to a straight-"

"Well I'll be a monkey's uncle" a familiar voice interrupted, Riley stopped and looked up from her seat. "Terry Calen" Riley said with a warm smile recognising him. Calen sat down in the empty chair next to her with his coffee. "Major, Colonel" Calen acknowledged the other two nodded "Lieutenant" Sheppard replied.

"Riley, I almost didn't recognise you I love the hair…So what are you doing in the Pegasus Galaxy?" he asked with a cocky smile. "I'm covering for Dr Boyd while he is away" Riley answered; she pushed her empty tray aside and sat back in her chair. "What are you doing later?" Calen asked, his voice was laced with his usual charm. "Not you" Riley replied coolly, Sheppard and Lorne smothered a laugh, Calen was a renowned tomcat. "Ouch, Riley that hurts I haven't seen you in 4 years and after the way you left me" Calen replied pouting playfully, Riley rolled her eyes at him. "I take you two were?" Sheppard cut in, he waved his fork at them to allude to a 'relationship'.

"In his dreams" Riley said laughing. "One day, its unrequited love" Calen chirped he gave a dreamy smile. Lorne laughed at Riley's facial expression of 'Dream on'

"Riley and I met in the sandbox 6 years ago, we were stationed. Riley's hair was super short but still the same tigh- ow!" Calen rubbed his arm where Riley punched him.

"I was paying you a compliment, that suit is swanky I like" Calen said with a wink at Riley. "Anyway, she had the nicest OW" Calen stopped when Riley slapped him up the back of the head "Honestly you are such a pervert, tell the story properly" Riley chided.

"I was going to say eyes…and why do you have to be so violent?" he asked, Riley shrugged "we both know you were going to make some lewd comment and to answer your question… I don't know it seems you bring out my violent nature" she replied with a smile and took a sip of her tea.

"Is it bad that I'm turned on by that?" He asked Lorne and Sheppard chuckled while Riley shot him a look. "Ok, back to the story of how we met" Calen said he fluttered his eyes and touched his heart "We were stationed at the same place for two tours… Riley was the hottest medic there! I have many good stories" Calen said cutting short not wanting to be hit again."Which I will save for another time" Calen said quickly as Riley raised an eyebrow.

"Well I never would have pegged you for the military type" Sheppard commented.

"I'm not, it was purely for financial reasons" Riley answered.

"Yes I heard you made a bundle working the interpreter train" Calen said

"Yes well I do work hard unlike some people who tomcat around on tax payer's dollars" Riley replied

"Hey I work hard" Calen said sounding offended, Riley laughed as she looked at her watch. "Speaking of work, I should really go and find Boyd's office and get to work… Gentlemen it's been a pleasure. Of one I'm sure we are to repeat" Riley said as she rose from her seat. She smiled warmly and smacked Calen up the side of the head and walked off with a smile on her face.


	4. Chapter 4

Lorne had turned the corner to his quarters, ready to fall into bed and sleep after a long day of organising the new recruits and meeting. When he stopped in his tracks, he saw Riley Callahan was standing in front of his quarters.

He admired her curves, watching her as she stood in front of his door waving her hand over the sensor, the door refused to open. She looked down at her arm at something. She hadn't noticed him yet and tried to open the door again.

"Can I help you?" Lorne spoke up, She looked over her shoulder as Lorne joined her, "Major…Yeah, is there a knack to this? Because the door to my quarters won't open" she gestured to the door, He stifled a laugh "Probably because there are my quarters" he stated, "You sure? Because I have a map and directions" she showed him her arm. He stepped closer to her "Let's see" he gently held her arm and traced the map. "Well you are close" he confirmed "Why don't you try that door" he suggested pointing to the next door, "Are you sure? Because my map says this is the door" she responded,

"Yeah you must have missed the door around the corner from the transporter" Lorne stated, Riley gave him a look that said she clearly wasn't buying it, Lorne laughed "Trust me" he reassured her as they walked up to the next door and she waved her hand over the sensor and the door opened up.

"Hey look at that" Lorne commented slyly, watching the blush creep across her pale skin as she shook her head and laughed "Thank you Major" she said smiling warmly.

"Anytime and Hey, if you need anything I'm right next door" He said playfully. She blushed again "Ha…ha… very funny" she replied dryly as she grinned. She leaned against the open door frame "Ah Major just one more thing" she said.

Lorne folded his arms "Sure what can I do?" he asked still smiling. "I want to go for a run around Atlantis tonight are there any areas that are off limits to civilians?" she asked, Lorne thought about it for a moment. "If you give me 5 minutes to change I could run with you?" he offered, the tiredness he felt earlier gone "Show you a good track around the one of the piers".

Riley smiled at the offer "Why not… I'll see you in 5 out here" she said, she stepped back and closed the door.

Riley dug into her bag to find her running shoes and clothes. Once she did she pulled off her suit and got changed into her favourite white tank top, navy blue ¾ running pants and her shoes. She tied her hair up into high ponytail and stepped out into the hallway where Lorne was waiting for her.

They took the transporter to the end of the East Pier and stretched. Riley took in the views of the city it was all lit up. "Isn't that a sight?" Riley commented as she jogged on the spot warming up. Lorne smiled "Yeah it's even better in the day, you ready?" he asked, before she could answer he took off running.

It took less than a second for her to catch up "Cheeky" she said as she fell into the same pace as him. They didn't speak for the rest of the run until they reached the West Pier end, Riley slowed and stopped to stretch "I'm guessing that was one of the easy tracks?" she asked as she counted her heart rate.

Lorne nodded "It's good for clearing the mind, If you want next time I know a great place to really punish yourself" he said as he finished stretching and catching his breath.

"Sounds good to me… I usually run in the morning it's just being couped up on the Daedalus I wanted to stretch my legs" Riley said she stood back and looked at the view.

"Well when I'm not off world I go running around 5am if you want to join me" Lorne offered Riley smiled "Sounds good and after I know all your running tracks we can race and really make a sport out of it" she said playfully.

"I don't think you'd be able to keep up with me" Lorne joked, "Oh my aren't we cocky?" Riley replied slyly before she made a head start on running. Lorne smiled and chased after her.


	5. Chapter 5

7 days later, Riley sat in Boyd's office behind the desk.

From Linguist requests from other departments to proofing translations and basic paper work not to mention the non-stop radio call outs and questions.

Riley now understood why Boyd had a bottle of scotch in his bottom draw of his desk. Not that any of it was very challenging it just never ended. Riley gave herself some time out there was the running in the morning with Lorne and Dinner with Laura at night all the in between was work and about 4 or 5 hours of sleep she got.

She had to admit she liked it here on Atlantis, the views were spectacular. The work kept her busy and she was sure once she got the hang of it she'd have more time. Riley looked at her watch the hands told her it was 1am, she rubbed her face and decided to call it quits especially if she had to be up in 4 hours to run with Lorne. She made her way to her quarters lost in her thoughts…_tall, beautiful blue eyes, great body, dimples, smart and a dry wit…what more could you want if only… ____Riley stopped the thought to herself she had to be crazy. _

___She didn't know how long she'd be on Atlantis…__Don't spoil a good thing…____ Riley chided to herself. She didn't even know if Lorne was seeing anyone let alone if he was actually interested in her that way and anyway she'd only been on base for 7 days. Riley entered her quarters and took off her uniform jacket and kicked off her shoes before she laid on top of her bed and closed her eyes._

___Riley stirred at 4:50am and dragged herself out of bed and splashed her face with cold water before getting changed into her running gear. She headed into the hallway._

_ "__Good Morning" Riley said cheerfully to Lorne she stretch up and yawned at the same time. "Tired?" he asked smiling; he couldn't help but love his mornings just a little more than before since Riley became his running partner. She shook her head and yawned again "Exhausted…But I could still outrun you any day" She replied with a wicked smile._

_ "__Oh we shall see" Lorne said, they had an easy banter and playful flirtation going on. He had yet to experience Riley in a bad mood, but he had to admit he liked her after 6 early morning runs he found_ Riley to be smart, down to earth, the girl next door but she was also a smart aleck.

He liked that a lot, especially since she got his humour which sometimes flew straight over other people's heads. He never considered having any kind of relationship except friendship with any of the women on base. But he had to admit she was changing his mind.

They began their run at the end of the North Pier. Lorne enjoyed this part of the morning. The sun was rising and painting Atlantis with a fresh day. It was going to be a beautiful day; there were barely any clouds in the sky. He looked over to Riley true to her word she was keeping pace and even pushing it to be faster.

Once they reached the end of their run, Riley laid herself down on the cold metal ground and looked up at the blue sky. "You ok down there?" Lorne asked looking down at her. She smiled "Yeah, join me, the cold steel is heavenly"

Lorne obliged and looked over at Riley who sighed and closed her eyes she had a contented smile on her face. He lay on his back enjoying the moment. The fresh gentle breeze, sun and the coolness of the ground seeping through his clothes he had to admit it felt pretty good. He got up on one elbow and looked over at Riley, he was about to say something when he noticed she was asleep.

She looked so peaceful and serene he didn't want to disturb her. He looked at his watch and laid back _10 minutes won't hurt…_ he thought.

"Riley" Lorne said gently he touched her shoulder to wake her. "Mmm just ten more minutes" She murmured and rolled onto her side towards him. He gently shook her shoulder and leaned closer "You are going to be late for breakfast" he whispered in her ear. Riley opened her eyes "What?... Oh… I'm sorry I didn't mean to doze off…How long was I out?" She asked blushing as she sat up. She rubbed her face and yawned, Lorne smiled he got to his feet and helped her up.

"Oh about 10 minutes you looked so peaceful" Lorne said.

"Is that paint?" Riley asked looking at his arm she held he had the smallest line of paint on his forearm, she wanted to change the topic. "Yeah, I paint as a hobby" he replied.

"What do you paint? if you don't mind me asking"

"Ahh scenery mostly I sketch a little"

"Nice, I'll have to see your work sometime" Riley said before she yawned again "I think I need another nap"

"Well you'll be able to sleep in tomorrow" Lorne said as they walk to the nearest transporter, "I'm going off world this afternoon for 4 days or so" Lorne added when Riley gave him a confused look.

"4days, I'm going to miss you…Who is going to go running with me at this ungodly hour?" Riley asked with a coy smile

Lorne laughed "What about Cadman?" he opened the transporter and Riley stepped in with him. Riley pulled a face "I love Laura, but the girl doesn't get up before midday unless she is on duty" she said.

"Well, you'll just have to wait until I get back then" He said as he pressed the map to their quarters. "Speaking of which…Have dinner with me when I get back" Lorne said as the doors opened and they stepped out and walked down the hall.

"In four days? Sure" Riley said as they continued down the hall to the respective quarters.

"Good" Lorne said as they reached Riley's door. "I'll radio when I'm back on base" he added,

Riley smiled "I look forward to it. I gotta Shower I have a breakfast with Weir at 7 I guess I'll see you in four days" she opened the door to her quarters and turned to Lorne.

"That you will" Lorne said.


	6. Chapter 6

Same day, that night…

Laura, Riley, Teyla Emmagen, Jennifer Keller, Kate Heightmeyer, and Katie Brown were sitting round the poker table, in Laura's quarters.

After, introductions and a few hands of Poker with the steady supply of tequila and Beer Riley felt like she was officially felt a part of the Atlantis crowd. She had heard all of the latest gossip and tallied the hotness of the guys running around the base. Pure girl conversations…

The Poker was fun and relaxing they were betting chocolate instead of money. Riley stretched her hands over her head and sighed, "It has been a long day" Riley commented as Laura poured her another shot of tequila.

"I feel for you being stuck with all the Linguistics… Makes work downright no fun and they are so disrespectful" Laura said she'd been helping Riley out

"That's only because they feel I'm underqualified and I would feel the same in their position" Riley replied.

"How so?" Kate asked as she placed her cards on the table

"I raise" Katie said

"Is this because you don't have a PhD?" Keller asked as she threw in a few chocolates to the pot.

Keller and Riley had met on the Daedalus they developed an easy friendship as they poured over all of the files they needed to be brief on for Atlantis. Riley nodded "You'd think two degrees and a M.D. and all my beauty would win them over" Riley quipped as she dropped her chocolates in to play "they'll get over it" Riley hoped.

"I'm out, so Laura, when does the Daedalus leave?" Kate asked as she took a swig of her beer watching the game, "Day after tomorrow" Laura answered throwing in her bet to the pile

"Who am I going to play with while you're gone?" Riley asked innocently, she finished her shot and chased it with beer.

"I'm sure you'll be buried in work and you have that date with Lorne" Laura answered slyly

"Don't start that again" Riley groaned

"Start what?" Laura said innocently "I fold by the way" she sat back.

"You know what" Riley warned.

"I feel oddly left out" Kate smiled sweetly

"Yeah don't keep us hanging here" Katie added, a blush lightly graced Riley's face.

"Jennifer are you going to fold?" Riley asked trying to change the topic

"Nope I'm good" Jennifer commented

"I think you're bluffing but hey it's your chocolate supply, Teyla?" Riley asked innocently

"I'm still in" She said as she sipped her beer smiling,

"Girls, Lorne asked Riley on a Date" Laura poured the girls another shot the tequila flowed freely.

"He asked me to have dinner with him… there was no mention of the word 'date' or anything" Riley stated

"Please the guy goes on 5am runs with you that says he is keen in my books. Not to mention he asked me if you were seeing anyone" Laura said  
"He did not" Riley said in disbelief.

"Ok he didn't… so I may have let it slip" Laura admitted.

"I don't want to know how that one slipped into conversation" Riley mumbled, the other girls laughed watching the two girls continued arguing over whether it was a date or not.

"Ok let's ask the panel… Ladies is it a date or not?" Laura asked,

"Date" Keller said with a smile "Dress nice"

"I agree, Lorne doesn't really associate with anyone outside the Military" Kate said taking a long pull of her beer. Katie nodded in agreement.

"Sheppard suggested that you two would make a lovely couple" Teyla commented

"I have this bad feeling that all of Atlantis will be watching me like and episode of 'the Hills' or something" Riley said

"haha probably we don't get soap operas out here…Anyway Admit it is a date…You know you want it be and when was the last time you actually got laid hmm?" Laura drawled.

"I'm not answering that question" Riley said throwing back another shot.

"Too long" Keller piped they all laughed as Riley slightly blushed.

"you'll keep" Riley poured herself another shot.

"Well speaking of dates, Rodney and I are celebrating our 6 month anniversary on Thursday" Katie said blushing.

"Congratulations" Riley commented

"Yes, Rodney mentioned that today when we were off world he is looking forward to it" Teyla said who was still in the game with Riley and Jennifer, they were in a dead lock and the pot was at it's biggest that night.

"So Teyla, are you seeing anyone?" Laura asked since everyone had had their turn.

"I'm not interested in anyone at the moment… and I am 'All in' as you say?" Teyla said pushing the last of her Hershey chocolates in, Riley and Keller followed suit.

"Ok let's see them" Riley said, she turned her cards over as the other two did.

"I knew you were bluffing!" Riley exclaimed as she looked at Jennifer's hand, she had only one pair of nines and Teyla had two pairs of twos and tens.

"Damnit! Riley you won, you have a killer poker face, winning on a Dead Man's Hand" Jennifer exclaimed as Riley held her cards up to Keller showing 3 aces and 2 eights "Oh yeah! Hershey kisses for me!" Riley cheered as she scooped the chocolates towards her.

"Poker face?" Teyla asked "means that I'm good at looking impassive" Riley answered "You're not too bad yourself" Riley complimented the athosian woman who smiled warmly, "Thank you" she replied.

"So another hand girls?" Riley asked as she shuffled the cards looking around the table the women all shook their heads.

"No, I'm done losing my stash I say we drink and be merry, since we have new blood and an extra bottle of Tequila!" Laura opened the bottle of tequila.

Kate and Katie left after the second bottle had been opened excusing themselves on the basis of early morning activities, leaving Jennifer, Teyla, Riley and Laura. They made it halfway through before Jennifer passed out. So they decided to carry her back to her quarter.

Riley and Laura held Jennifer up as Teyla checked the hallways to see if they were clear, they had made it to Jennifer's quarters without anyone noticing them.

"Ok! How do we get the door open?" Laura asked as she readjusted her grip

"Teyla can you take my side… I know what to do" Riley slurred she handed her side off to Teyla and pried open the door sensor and pulled out the crystals halfway through she stopped.

"Do you know what you are doing?" Teyla asked, she seemed to be the most sober out of the four, Riley smiled "Of course! Watch this" she said as she placed them back in, the doors didn't open "Ok" Riley swapped the top two crystals around and the doors opened "Oh yeah!" she cheered.

As soon as they tucked Jennifer on her bed, she started to snore, the three broke into laughter and Teyla shushed Riley and Laura as she pushed them out the door. Once the door closed Riley turned to Teyla and Laura "That was adorable" Riley cooed "Well, it was a pleasure to meet you Riley and I will see you around I'm sure" Teyla said.

"of course, and we'll have to work out a time where you can teach me Bantos Fighting" Riley added

"Yes, indeed, Goodnight ladies and try not to get up to too much trouble" Teyla warned smiling she turned and walked off.

"Night" they both said in unison, "So where to now?" they both looked at each other having the same thought.

An hour later, after cleaning up Laura's quarters, they were sitting on the East pier with the half bottle of tequila, and two beers. They didn't bother with glasses for the Tequila just drank straight from the bottle.

"I like it here" Riley said as she chased her Tequila swig with beer. They were looking towards the city which was all lit up.

"Yeah it's good isn't it" Laura said admiring the view.


	7. Chapter 7

Riley and Laura called it a night after the beers were finished. Riley had made it back to her quarters in a very peaceful state her body completely relaxed and ready to fall asleep. After showering and changing into her pyjamas she laid face down on her bed and sighed happily falling asleep.

After what felt like 10minutes, her door chimed. She moaned into her pillow not wanting to get up, the door chimed again "You have got to be kidding me" She groaned as it chimed again. Riley got up off her bed and opened the door.

Calen smiled cheerfully "Hey" he moved to come in but Riley placed a hand on his chest and pushed him back outside "What are you doing here?" she asked she winced at the lights "What's the time?"

"4am, McKay asked me to get you since you weren't answering your comm."Calen looked her over she was in a navy racer back tank top and white pyjama pants that hung low on her hips.

"McKay?" she questioned her brain was foggy still from the alcohol and sleep. She couldn't understand how Calen and McKay could relate to one another.

"Yeah… Have you been drinking?" Calen asked "You smell like a microbrewery" he noted she smelt faintly of beer, tequila, lime and vanilla "A delicious one at that".

"What do you want?" Riley said folding her arms, not happy that Calen had woken her up.

"I just got back from off world with a new toy McKay wants you to come and play" he answered

"Get nicked" Riley said her tone was a mixture of disbelief and annoyance "I'm going back to bed"

"Hey, Don't be like that" Calen whined he grabbed her arm pulling her out into the hallway.

"Don't be like that?" she stepped back into her doorway covering her eyes from the light, she was definitely experiencing the early onset of a hangover "this is the first time in over 7days I was going to sleep in and I get woken by you up for work" Riley said she was about the close the door but stopped when Calen stepped in.

"Well if I never had an invitation lik-" Calen started towards her wriggling his eyebrows suggestively with a sleazy smile. But he stopped when Riley held her hand up like she was threatening to Bitch slap him. "You know what I meant pervert… so out with it what's so special about this 'artifact' you stumbled onto?" Riley asked she slowly lowered her hand.

"McKay says it's something about energy blah blah woof woof. Just come and look for 20 minutes and then you can come back and have your beauty sleep… please McKay was a pain in the ass about me getting you" Calen gave her his most pleading look.

Riley caved "Fine, 20 minutes and that's it" she said as she gestured him to get out of her quarters.

"You aren't going to change first? Or at least some shoes?"

"No"

"how brushing your hair?"Calen suggested her hair was mussed and bed raggled.

"It's 4 in the morning I don't care…"Riley said her eyes were already beginning to hurt she wished she had packed sunglasses as she push Calen out of her quarters towards the transporter.

"So how are you going?" Calen asked lazily. Calen was an incurable flirt and who could blame him he was like a ken doll except life size and anatomically correct and he knew he was attractive. So he had a super ego to go with his looks add in the military uniform and he was everything a woman wanted and scorned gift wrapped in the one package. Riley could see the attraction of Calen but he was a player and only cared about boozing and money.

"Calen… you woke me up, I just want to go back to bed" she sighed as they stepped into the transporter she leaned her head against the wall. The doors closed and Calen tapped the map and the doors opened again.

"Definitely and if it isn't I'll give you a massage and make it up to you" he said slyly as they walked to McKay's lab.

"Don't you ever give up Calen?" Riley asked this was their friendship in a nutshell if you could call it one. He would say stupid things and try and get into her pants and she would fight the urge not to bitch slap him into a coma. It was like a running joke that even after not seeing each other for four years had not ceased it. She could still remember the first day they had met.

#Flash back#

"Captain Callahan, Congratulations you have just won a free ticket to US Camp Ramadi… they are short on Doctors" the Colonel said "Pack up your gear you leave in 15 minutes" he handed Riley her orders.

"Yes Sir" Riley saluted her C/O and turned to get her gear.

"Captain Callahan?"Calen asked as he held a hand out to Riley. She threw her bag at him and climbed in without his assistance. "Yeah, that's me" she said as she strapped into her seat. Calen motioned to the pilot they were ready to lift off. She looked out to the desert, Calen had seen her around camp. Her red hair was cut short in a pixie hairstyle. She was dressed in combat fatigues that left everything to the imagination. Her face had sprinkles of freckles but otherwise milky white complexion. She did not look like she belonged in the desert but then who did.

"So Captain have you ever been to Camp Ramadi before?" Calen asked, she turned to face him

"No" she replied

"Well be prepared it's nothing like Green Zone"

"I'll consider myself warn-"

The helicopter jerked to the side "We are under fire hold tight" bullets pierce the side of the helicopter wall barely missing Riley and Calen. "We are going down!"

Riley groaned and opened her eyes the smell of smoke and dust filled the air and the copper smell of blood. She looked around the helicopter was on its side. Sparks were flying out of the front console where a small fire had started. She did a quick internal assessment of herself she had cuts and she was definitely going to bruise but nothing broken...She undid her harness and crawled over to Calen, he was unconscious but still alive with minor injuries. She crawled to the cockpit the Pilot was dead she ripped off the pilots dog tags and pocketed them and then went to wake Calen.

"Hey" she shook Calen who groaned "Come on"

She heard the sound of trucks heading their way "Wake up Dopey" Calen opened his eyes and groaned. Riley hushed him when the trucks stopped outside the helicopter. Calen gripped his gun and handed her his berretta.

Riley's heart stopped in fear, holding her , she was frozen in sheer panic until she heard "Hey Spudhead keep the motor running" it was a heavy Texan accent "Boys keep your eyes sharp I don't want my ass blown up today ok?" the voice ordered. There was a chorus of "Yes sir" and footsteps fanning out.

Riley let out sigh of relief, when she looked up the door opened Riley smiled at the Texan soldier.

"G'day" she said as she shielded her eyes from the sun.

"Need some assistance?" the Texan soldier drawled.

"Would be appreciated" Calen said he gave Riley a leg up and the Texan steadied her and helped her down to the ground outside the helicopter. Calen tossed out her bag and then with the Texan's help climbed out.

Riley picked up her bag and headed for the Hum vee. Once Calen and the rest of the soldiers were in the convoy was away. "I'm Colonel Phelps" the Texan said "You are?"

"This is Captain Callahan and I'm Captain Calen Sir" Calen said

"Where were you two heading to?"

"Camp Ramadi" Riley said

"You are very lucky we were just heading that way" Colonel said with a smile.

"Ow!" Calen cried

"Hold still" Riley said with a smile she was stitching Calen's wounds "you are lucky it was just a graze"

"Feels like a whole chunk was taken out of me"

"Toughen up princess" Riley said "I'm nearly done"

"Good, So you want to grab a drink with me celebrate our surviving a helicopter crash together" Calen asked he wriggled his eyebrows suggestively.

"I don't think so" Riley replied

"It's not every day you walk away from a helicopter crash unscathed we should celebrate you are a lucky charm" Calen said smiling at her.

"Fine, one meal no drink… and don't think you'll be getting anything more"

"that's what they all say" Calen said smoothly "but they all fall for me"

"Wow aren't you full of yourself" Riley said "You are done" she pulled off her gloves

"Ok, I'll meet you in the mess at 7" Calen said as he walked away.

"You are way too beautiful and young to be a doctor…" Calen said as they lined up for food.

"Thanks, but Flattery will get you nowhere" Riley replied as she plied her tray with food. She picked up a bottle of water and scanned the room for empty seats.

"ahh eventually you'll succumb to my good looks and personality" Calen said as he did the same.

"Prepare to be disappointed…I find Desperation unattractive" Riley said as they walked over to an empty table.

"Ouch that hurts I'm not desperate I just like what I see" Calen said as they took their seats.

"Calen, let's get something straight right here and now" Riley said as she pulled apart her fork and knife.

"Ok" Calen said

"You know how you've been eyeing me like a piece of ass since we met this morning?"

"Yeah" Calen gave a boyish smile

"This is one ass you will never get to tap" Riley said between bites "got it?"

"Nope" Calen said playfully

"Be warned I have a wicked right hook" Riley said with a smile "and I am not afraid to use it"

Calen contemplated her for a moment then smiled "I'm an optimist, I also love a challenge and I'm told familiarity breeds attraction one day you'll come to me… but for now I'll settle for a beautiful friendship" he said, Riley shook her head and laughed.

#End of Flashback#

Riley waited for Calen to answer her.

"Not with you Riles, you are the one" he said melodramatically

"The one you can't ever have you mean" Riley said rolling her eyes, she brushed her hands through her hair and tied it up into a messy bun.

"It's true" Calen said with a smile "I find you rejecting me very hot…the whole forbidden fruit"

"I'm never going to be rid of you am I?" Riley asked, she didn't remember Atlantis being so well lit when she was sober her eyes hurt.

"Never… even when you succumb to me I'll still want you" Calen cooed

"McKay I'm here" Riley said as they entered McKay's Lab. He and Zelenka were standing around a small square device that had a keyboard and a crystal flat platform from which it projected a holographic screen above it.

"About time, you didn't you answer your radio" McKay said impatiently "And where are your shoes?"

"In my quarters… where I should be" Riley said sourly, she really wanted to be in bed sleeping. "It's my day off, so let's make this quick" she added pointing at the screen. "This is where I leave you" Calen whispered to Riley "Good night" he said to McKay and Zelenka.

"Traitor" Riley muttered as Calen left.

6 hours later, Riley was leaning back precariously asleep in McKay's desk chair her feet were propped up on his desk. When Sheppard walked in, he smiled at the sight she was dead asleep while McKay and Zelenka were yelling at each other some equation that was scribbled on the white board. "Hey!" Sheppard shouted the two stopped and looked at him "What are you doing here?" McKay asked he looked at his watch it read 10am they had worked the whole night through.

"What are you guys shouting about?" Sheppard asked back he looked over his shoulder at Riley who was still fast asleep then back at McKay.

"I was telling Zelenka that he's wron-"McKay started

Zelenka cut on top "I'm not wrong it's what the-"

"I know but she had to ha-"

"Don't you blame her she-"

"She was drunk like w-"

"Hey!" Sheppard said it scared him how close Zelenka and McKay were that they never had to finish their sentences to know what was being said. "Maybe you two should take a break if you've been at it all night"

McKay and Zelenka looked at one another "Maybe it would be a good idea" Zelenka said,

"I am kind of hungry" McKay said they started to leave "Hey aren't you guys forgetting something?" Sheppard said gesturing to Riley they looked at him like he asked them to poke bear with a hot stick or something.

"Oh yeah, can't you do it?" McKay asked he looked slightly afraid

"She wasn't in the best mood when McKay woke her up last time" Zelenka added his eyes went wide and his hands gestured a large explosion. They both made moves that they weren't going to wake her unless it was an emergency.

"Fine go I'll take care of her" Sheppard said, McKay and Zelenka left. He walked over to where she was not trying to be quiet at all. He pondered how to wake her obviously loud noises were out, and he's sure if he shook her she might fall out of the chair.

He noted her bare feet that were propped on the desk he got his finger and gently stroked one finger up her sole. He wondered if she was ticklish and he got his answer when by the third light stroke she woke up and yelped. Losing her balance the chair slid from underneath her and she fell to the floor in a heap.

"Ow" Riley laughed from the floor she rubbed her elbow

"You ok?"

"No, I hit my funny bone" she giggled and groaned in pain at the same time as Sheppard laughed "Come on we'll go get breakfast" Sheppard said as he offered her his hand.

"Where are McKay and Zelenka?" She asked as Sheppard pulled her to her feet.

"I told them to take a break"

"Where were you at 4am?" Riley groaned her body ached from being in the chair and possibly the copious amounts of alcohol she had consumed with Laura. She stretched up and twisted herself trying to loosen the kinks she felt.

"Sleeping" Sheppard answered cockily

"I hate you right now… McKay knows nothing about boundaries" Riley sighed exasperated.

"I know…Come on let's go… you can tell me all about Girls poker night"

"Ha not bloody likely" Riley scoffed rubbing her sore elbow.


	8. Chapter 8

After breakfast, Riley concluded she wasn't going to get the day off as she had planned. The other linguist had handed in lazy work so Riley knowing talking to them would get her nowhere decided to patch it up. She didn't want Boyd's reputation to get tanked just because his staff had an issue with their substitute boss. So instead of going back to her quarters she went to Boyd's office to finish or fix it up before the engineering and science departments asked for the work.

It was around 2pm Laura found Riley in Boyd's office. Riley had her head down in the work "Good morning!" Laura sang as she broke the silence. Riley looked up "Hey" she said as Laura tossed her a banana.

"I thought today was your day off?"

Riley snorted "Yeah it was" she peeled the banana and took a bite "That was until McKay woke me up at 4 am for some device for which they have no idea what it does but needed me to be there to translate the important complex whatever… how are you feeling?"

"Pretty good, considering after the amount we drank" Laura said she was all sunshine and happiness.

"You mean pretty good after a cold shower and three aspirins you took?" Riley said sarcastically

"Of course" Laure said smiling

Riley laughed "Thought so"

"I like the new look" Laura said as she noted Riley's appearance her hair was in a messy bun, she wasn't wearing the normal uniform but her pyjamas.

"Yeah I thought I'd do the just got out of bed look" Riley quipped

"You do it well… so you free?"

"For?" Riley asked as she finished the banana.

"A run" Laura stated "you know sunshine, fresh air… I know I won't be as attractive as Lorne to look at while running around" Riley threw the banana peel at Laura.

"Fine… but we have to go to my quarters so I can get changed and my shoes" Riley said as she pushed her chair back.

Riley looked at the work before her, she should really finish but the idea of running in the fresh air seemed far more appealing. _The work could wait another hour or so… and I really need a break_ Riley justified to herself

The Next day,

Riley had spent all of it buried in her work making up for lost time after Laura and her had their run. Riley was cornered back into helping McKay and Zelenka so they kept her around until she said she needed to go to bathroom and promptly ran away. She and Laura shared their last dinner together and Laura headed back to the Daedalus it was supposed to leave in the Morning but apparently Caldwell had decided to leave earlier for whatever reason.

Riley had only taken a break to have lunch with Weir and Teyla but most of her day was behind Boyd's desk. Riley was almost finished working through the last of her work when Calen appeared at her door "Hey Riles" he said as he leaned in the open door.

"Don't you dare come in" Riley said she didn't even look up.

"Awh don't tell me you are sore about-"

"You said 20 minutes and I ended up being there for hours" Riley wasn't about to say for about 6 of them she was asleep.

"Well I come bearing an invitation maybe that'll put you in a better mood"

"Not interested"

"You don't even know what it… promise it's nothing dirty"

Riley eyed him he seemed innocent in his demeanour "What is it?"

"Some of my Lieutenant buddies are holding a Poker game tonight… I know how much you like poker"

"No thank you"

"We play for money"

"Ok"

"Good I'll swing by your quarters at 8?"

"I'll be in the mess at 8… pick me up there" Riley said "You can go now" she added waving him away.

"I love it when you dismiss me cya at 8"

It was heading Midnight; Riley was seated at the makeshift poker table surrounded by Lieutenants Calen, Kemp, Grieves, and Dallas. The boys had made her an Honorary Lieutenant for the night. Riley had lost a few hands and won a few and now it was at the final game at least for her she wanted to go to bed. The pot was up to $500 dollars and a bottle of red wine. Calen and Grieves had folded early in the hand. Dallas hung on until the pot reached $300 and then folded it was between her and Kemp now.

Kemp smiled "$200 to see" he said as he threw an extra $200 in.

"I'm all in" Riley said as she pushed in the last of her money. Being here reminded her of her old Army days except it was in a well lit room instead of barracks with torches.

"Ladies first" Kemp gestured

"How about the same time"

"Ok" he flipped his cards over he had three kings and two 8's. Riley's face fell "No way" she said disappointed.

Kemp smiled thinking he had won until he looked at her cards "A Royal flush" he was shocked. Now Riley was wearing the grin she scooped the money up and the Bottle of wine to her side of the table.

"Well Diamonds are a Girl's best friend" she said as she straightened the bills into one lump pile.

Calen and the boys laughed, Kemp was an exceptional poker player who it was about time someone wiped the floor with him.

"Now I'm afraid gentleman I have to bid you adieu"

"What? Come on it's still early give me a chance to win some of my money back" Kemp said, she impressed him. No one beat Kemp at poker on Atlantis.

Riley shook her head "Cinderella has to get home before she turns into a pumpkin…it was fun playing with you all" she got up from her chair.

"Wait up I'll walk you back to your quarters" Calen said

"No you stay, I'll be fine without you" With that Riley made a quick exit.

"She is a shark" Kemp said

"Awwh don't be a sore loser Kempie" Calen cooed pinching Kemp's cheek. "At least you lost to someone very hot" Calen offered. The boys chuckled as the next hand was dealt.


	9. Chapter 9

**Authors note: Thanks for the reviews.. I've been drowning in university essays lately.. so the next installments will take awhile longer sorry for the delays..I plan on some more adventures! yay!... I'm thinking more flashbacks or something among other storylines :-) argh must go do university work now! ENJOY!**

3 days later,

Lorne had returned from off world early, he had radioed Riley like he said he would but couldn't make dinner. Sheppard wanted to talk about business over dinner. So he offered to have a late night supper instead he really wanted to see her. He now waited on the balcony, for her to show up.

The Balcony was just off the jumper bays, it was out of the way so they wouldn't be disturbed and being at the top of the central spire it gave one of the best views of the whole city below.

When he heard the door open he turned, Riley had her long hair out from her usual pony tail, she was wearing hipster jeans and a white long sleeved v-neck top. Her clothes hugged her lithe yet voluptuous figure. She was beautiful in his eyes.

"Hey" he said,

"hey yourself" she threw him the bottle of wine which he caught one handed "Nice catch" she said

"they didn't make me major for nothing" Lorne quipped

"Being able to catch things is a very important skill" Riley replied sarcastically she sat down on the bench where there was a small platter of cheeses and fruit. "I'm impressed by the spread" Riley said as she picked up a strawberry and bit into it as Lorne poured the wine. He handed her a glass and sat down on the other side the platter between them. She raised it and they clinked glasses "Cheers" Riley took a sip and placed the glass down on the ground. "So Major-" "Evan" he cut in

"So, Evan" she started with a coy smile "how do you feel about blue cheese?" she asked as she cut into the Brie. "Don't mind it" he replied

"Good it's all yours cause I hate it" Riley said "how about olives?"

"Love them" he said

"also yours" she gestured smiling broadly.

Lorne laughed "So I guess we are going to be fighting over the rest of the cheeses?"

"Oh no I can share, it's the one thing I aced in kindergarten"

"couldn't tie your shoe laces?" he asked jokingly she lifted up her foot to show off one of her boots which had a zipper "there are some things I still struggle with" she admitted.

Riley cut the Camembert cheese and ate it with a strawberry. "MMmm I have to ask where did you get the cheese platter?" she asked as she sipped her wine.

"I could ask the same about the wine"

"Poker game last night"

"I thought the girls play for chocolate" Lorne said confused

"Of course, this was with the lieutenants… I was made an honorary lieutenant…Calen invited me to get back in my good graces"

"Obviously it went well" Lorne stated, Sheppard had filled him in on what had happened around Atlantis in his 3 day absence.

"Yeah so much so I've had my honorary title and invitation revoked… Sore losers can't appreciate my skills" Riley said smugly

"You sound like a shark"

"Well maybe just a little" she said as she drank her wine "What about you any skills besides Art?"

"Nothing too impressive. I'm only passable at poker"

"I seriously doubt that… So your art which I've yet to see, is it any good?"

"I'm an amateur, like I said the other day it's more of a hobby my mom is an Art teacher we use to paint on the weekends together. I'll show you my work sometime"

"Sounds good, you should know the only thing I can paint is a wall and even then I end up with more paint on myself than the wall" Riley said thinking back to the time she painted her Flat in Sydney. "Tell me about yourself Evan" she carved herself a piece of brie onto a biscuit.

"There isn't much to tell that you don't already know…I mean as you know my folks are still around and I joined the air force because I wanted to fly and serve my country" Lorne said, his life was very sweet and short and not overly complicated.

"Any siblings? Tattoos? Interesting fun facts I should know?" Riley asked

"Yeah, I have a sister and two nephews… No tattoos… I'm a god at beer pong…I was once stood up on a date"

"Really? A guy as handsome as you?" Riley asked in disbelief "Must have been very disheartening how did you ever survive?" she asked melodramatically

"Cheeky"

"Right... just know that I don't believe for a minute on that one but do continue" Riley said she was wearing a big grin holding her glass of wine.

"I was in high school I wasn't as attractive as I am now…" Riley rolled her eyes in a silent gesture of 'yeah right' and Lorne continued "Anyway I've been in the military since I was 20. I've been to Iraq, Afghanistan, Somalia and lots of places a person wouldn't want to be" Lorne said something in his eyes darkened like he was haunted.

"And then you ended up here fighting in another galaxy against 'Space Vampires' as Calen puts it" Riley said. She knew the look he had, many military personnel shared that look it was the one that aged them by 20 years because of the dark place they have to go to reconcile the things they had seen and justify that their actions were for the greater good. It was a look she recognised well in the mirror.

Lorne smirked "Yeah it was the sales pitch"

"Come to another Galaxy Far Far Away and explore planets that have never been explore before, meet exciting new people and defend planet Earth from unmentionable evil" Riley said in a dramatic low voice she sounded like a narrator for bad movie advertisement. Lorne laughed "Exactly like that" he said the darkness that shadowed his eyes was gone. "What about you?" he asked

"What about me?" Riley asked innocently

"Tattoos, fun facts, Siblings, family" Lorne said as he topped up her wine.

"I have one tattoo, no siblings… my parents died when I was really young" Riley said

"I'm so sorry" Lorne started, Riley held up a hand to stop him

"Don't be…They died when I was young I never really knew them" Riley said with a shrug. "My grandparents took me in and raised me"

They continued talking and eating and drinking for hours. After the food and drink and wine ran out they had slid to the floor and propped their backs against the bench looking out to view it was breathtaking.

"I swear it looked like beetroot" Riley said she was telling Lorne of her first Thanksgiving where she mistaking thought sliced up canned cranberry jelly for beetroot. A red root vegetable used in soups, sandwiches and salads, that looked identical in form to this canned jelly but different in texture and taste obviously. "So I plied like 4 slices which is practically half the can's worth. Laura's mum thought I must have been avid about it. I didn't want to be rude so I ate all of it and Laura was pissing herself laughing because she knew I thought it was beetroot"

Lorne laughed as Riley made a face and enacted the whole experience with gestures she had turned facing him her legs tucked underneath her while he sat with his legs stretched out in front of him his ankles crossed. Watching her, she was a exuberant story teller "After dinner I pull her a side and said 'you have to tell your mum the beetroot is off' and then she starts laughing and I'm like 'What?' and she tells me it was cranberry jelly" Riley said she laughed her cheeks were slightly flushed. "That was my first Thanksgiving… but it's my favourite American holiday"

When the laughter died down Riley looked at Lorne's watch "Is that the time?" She grabbed his wrist and looked at the watch it read 5am. "Yep" Lorne said

"I have a meeting in 3 hours with Boyd's department" she said cringing she didn't want to go but Dr Weir had called it. If she didn't show she'd be in trouble considering it was about her department while Boyd was away.

"Do you want to call it a night then? I should say morning… since the sun is coming up"

"Yeah I will" Riley said and she got to her feet she picked up the empty wine bottle and the two glasses while Lorne packed up the plate and knife.

"So what is the meeting about?" Lorne asked

"Sheppard didn't tell you?" she asked as they walked down the hallway "The man is the biggest gossip queen"

Lorne chuckled, "No he forgot to mention it"

Riley continued "I'm told its standard" she stepped into the transporter with Lorne. She punched the area for their quarters and the doors closed.

"I think Weir is making sure we are all playing nice" Riley said as the doors opened, and they headed to their quarters.

"and are you?"

"I always play nice" Riley said playfully she leaned on her door "It's the other kids who don't… they seem to not like me"

"They're loss" Lorne said he took a step towards her and all at once everything happened so quickly to make sense of. One second he was two feet away and in the next he had put the plate on the ground freeing his hands.

One hand was on her hip and the other cupped her face as he pulled in close. His lips were soft and he was surprisingly gentle. Maybe it was because she hadn't really expected him to kiss her. Riley kissed him backed and his hand slowly moved from her hip to her lower back. The kiss was long and sensual, Lorne pulled back, Riley felt blood rush to her cheeks and smiled as the happy endorphins filled her brain. Lorne wore an unreadable expression for a second before smiling "I had a good time" he said huskily "have dinner with me tonight" he added.

Riley bit her bottom lip "Ok, 7pm?" she offered

"My quarters" he added he then gave her a quick kiss before letting her go into her quarters. He turned and picked up the plate and knife and entered his. He put the plate on the side table and laid back on his bed. Replaying the whole night and the kiss in his head, he thought about what having Riley in his life would be like. He thought of her energetic smile, warmth and laughter she was so genuine in her actions and her character.

He had avoided relationships being in the Military for so many years, he never wanted to burden someone with so much angst and worry about where he was or if he was ever coming home. And the obvious effects of being a soldier that whatever you saw and did changed you in ways that normal everyday people couldn't begin to understand.

Something tonight just clicked between them it was easy and real. He wanted her, in a way he had never wanted anyone or anything before in his life, it should have scared him but it didn't. After they kissed, he was sure of what was going to happen next…it was now set in concrete for him. He closed his eyes and drifted off to sleep.

TBC


	10. Chapter 10

**Authors Note: Ok so I lied… I was planning to do my 3 essays and then became horribly wrapped up in my writing…haha so much for my priorities.. But Really! I'm seriously going to have do my uni work after this posting… ENJOY and thank you for the reviews they make me smile and encourage me :-D ALSO: as annoying as I find it.. i'm breaking the story up with SGASGA.. i wanted astericks but they don't seem to be working... hmmm just lettting you know!**

"Ooo Pretty" Riley said she picked up an egg shaped device and somehow turned on the flashing lights. McKay turned away from the white board "What's pretty?" he asked exasperated Riley was really trying his patience today. She was late from a meeting and had been distracted nearly the whole time with a goofy smile on her face.

Riley held up a Wraith Grenade the lights were flashing "this" Riley said. McKay's eyes went wide "OH MY GOD" he exclaimed

"What?" Riley asked lost

"You activated it" McKay said slowly as if she didn't understand.

"I was just playing with it… what is it?" She asked tossing between her two hands like a ball

"It's a wraith grenade" McKay said his heart was going into palpitations.

"What?" Riley said almost dropping it.

...SGASGASGA..

When the Control room reported an explosion off the East Pier Sheppard called Lorne to meet him at the site of the reports and assess the situation. When they reached the location of the reports they found Riley leaning over the balcony with Rodney shouting at her.

"HOW CAN YOU BE SO CHEERFUL? WE ALMOST DIED!"

"Don't do your block in McKay" Riley said not paying attention to McKay who was red in the face with anger.

"WHAT? HONESTLY YOU'VE BEEN DISTRAC-"

"What the hell is going on?" Sheppard demanded, cutting McKay's rant off. Riley was halfway over the railing "Hey Sheppard, Lorne" Riley said cheerfully. "It was a bomb… well a grenade right?" Riley corrected as she continued to lean precariously over the railing.

McKay looked at him "She!" McKay pointing at Riley "is crazy! I can't work with her anymore for today!"

"Grenade? What were you doing with a grenade" Sheppard asked, Lorne walked over and pulled Riley back from the railing worried she might fall. "You ok?" Lorne asked he brushed his hand down her back, Riley blushed and bit her bottom lip looking at Lorne "Yeah I'm good you?" she asked breaking into a wide smile.

"Of course she's fine…She picked up a bomb and started playing with it… like it's a toy!" McKay said angrily, Sheppard and Lorne exchanged looks.

"Pfft I threw it in the ocean before it exploded… no one was hurt and no damage to the city no big deal" Riley said plainly shrugging off the seriousness of it all.

"It could have been a big deal! I could of died honestly are you sure you and Cadman aren't related?" McKay asked "Because you both have a thing for bombs"

"It wasn't like that! I didn't know it was a bomb! I thought it was a toy or a doohickie… Maybe if you had a warning label attached to it then we could have avoided this situation... anyway who leaves a wraith grenade lying on their desk" Riley said.

McKay stopped short on an answer as Sheppard shot him a look wanting to know the answer aswell. "Well…I.." McKay started.

"and seriously why would the wraith have a bomb that could possibly destroy their food source" Riley added she stretched and yawned "it must be time for lunch" she stated she picked up Lorne's arm and looked at his watch.

"Shall we?" Riley asked. Trying to move the conversation on Sheppard and Lorne both were bemused as she clapped McKay on the back who was still trying to come up with a reasonable answer "Come on McKay let's eat, I think you need a meal after such an harrowing event" Riley said as she pushed him forwards in the direction of the mess. "I mean we almost died" she said melodramatically she looked back at Sheppard and Lorne ad rolled her eyes.

"Don't think I'm not done yet!" McKay said as he let Riley push him towards the transporter.

SGASGASGASGASGASGA...

Teyla giggled as Riley regaled the story of the bomb and doing impressions of McKay shouting at her. "And so my story ends with us here" Riley sat down next to Ronon on her right and Sheppard on her left with Lorne opposite her next to Teyla. McKay was stewing at the head of the table. "awwh come on McKay. Smile it was funny" Riley said.

"Honestly today working with you was like working with a 5 year old" McKay complained.

"A very intelligent 5 year old" she said with a smile, she finished her drink "So Teyla shall we go?"

Teyla nodded and started to get up from the table with Riley.

"Where are you two going?" Sheppard asked

"I am going to teach Riley Bantos fighting" Teyla said as she rounded the table to stand next to Riley.

"Really" Sheppard said surprised at how quickly in the last two weeks Riley had fitted into the Atlantis family "Well try not to get hit it hurts… a lot" he stressed

"Thank you for sage advice" Riley said stifling a giggle as she and Teyla waved and left the gentlemen to themselves.

"I wonder where she gets her energy" Sheppard mused as Riley and Teyla left.

"She sleeps on the job" McKay grumbled as he ate his fruits

"You woke her up after Girl's poker night of course she'll sleep" Sheppard said, "So Lorne what's up with you and the pretty redhead… Having hot relations or something?"

McKay choked on a grape Ronon wacked him on the back.

"Smooth sir" Lorne said trying not to laugh at McKay's reaction.

"Didn't answer the question" Sheppard stated

"Don't know what you mean?" Lorne said not wanting to give Sheppard anything. "We are just friendly neighbours" he got up and started to walk away

"You aren't fooling anybody Lorne" Sheppard shouted as Lorne walked off people turned to see what it was about. Ronon raised an eyebrow at Sheppard "My 2IC is falling in love" Sheppard said he wiped a fake tear away "They grow up so fast"

SGASGASGASGASGA...

Lorne double checked everything was set. The door chimed. Lorne opened the door to reveal Riley she was dressed in grey slacks and a white tank top with a black vest over the top. She was sporting some red welts on her arms.

"Come in" Lorne said as she came in he closed the door. Riley took his quarters, everything was neat except for one corner where he had his paintings stacked there was an easel and palette and many other art supplies. Riley smothered a laugh "What's so funny?" Lorne asked

"Nothing, I was just remembering something Laura told me" Riley said she walked over to the paintings "So these are the paintings…May I?" she asked

"Sure" Lorne said he stood beside her and watched her and she looked at every painting slowly.

After a few minutes Riley looked up at him "These are amazing… you have painted Atlantis from every angle…the use of colour and space is quite amazing… I love impressionistic art… your style no?"

"Yeah it is… you know art?"

"Not really, I read a book or two and my grandparents loved Monet and Renoir I remember when I was a kid we would stare at their artwork in books for hours but that was it" Riley said she smiled at the memory she placed the paintings back safely.

"What was your favourite?"

"Well I liked 'Luncheon of the Boating party' by Renoir. My grandmother cross-stitched and had it framed on the wall I could stare at it all day lost in it just a snapshot of a party with everyone's thoughts and feelings just frozen in time" She stopped and pulled a face."Sound stupid"

"No, I get it before I joined the Air Force I backpacked around Europe visited all the great museums and art galleries: the Hermitage in Russia, the Louvre in Paris, Musee de borge in Belgium, the Prado in Madrid. It was magical really I could spend hours lost in paintings. Bruegel's 'Fall of Icarus', Turner's water colours…anything by El Greco" He said he smiled with a fondness of the memory.

"Well you are very talented, not the amateur I was lead to believe" Riley said she

"Thank you… shall we eat?" Lorne gestured to the table.

"Sounds good" Riley looked at the table with the candles and wine "I'm impressed" she said as Lorne pulled out the chair for her. "Where did you get a set up like this?" she asked gesturing to the dinner and wine.

It was spaghetti tossed with sundried tomatoes and basil "If I told you I'd have to kill you" Lorne said as he took his seat.

"Hmm this is good" Riley said as she took her first bite.

"I take it the first lesson with Teyla didn't go so well?" Lorne asked gesturing to the welts she was sporting.

Riley smiled as she swirled spaghetti onto her fork "Yeah I learn quicker when I'm thrown into the deep end of things" Riley said "Teyla thrashed me, but it was fun" she added.

"Last night you told me of how you and Cadman are friends but how did you get to be a linguist?" Lorne asked, Riley stopped eating and put her fork down.

"Funny story, I actually wanted be a Doctor when I was growing up" Riley started.

"Really" Lorne said "Weren't you a medic in the army"

"Well I have an M.D. and a medical degree all paid for by the Australian army. It was the only way I could get a degree. My grandparents own a used bookshop they make enough money to get by and I didn't want to burden them. When I was 16 I thought 3 years in an army hospital when there isn't any war going on wouldn't be too bad"

"16?"

"I graduated from university when I was 20… I was a smart ass" Riley supplied "I served one year in East Timor and then September 11 happened and I was sent to Iraq" she took a sip of wine. "It wasn't too bad the first 6 months I was posted at a hospital smack bang in the middle of the green zone. But then I was sent to Camp Ramadi, that was an eye opener to say the least" she paused seemingly caught up in some memory and she cleared her throat "that's when I met Calen"

"Camp Ramadi is a US base" Lorne stated he'd been posted there too he knew exactly what she meant an eye opener was an understatement. He had taken wounded to the base hospital, it was not a place one wanted to remember.

"Yeah, I was on loan for a year… Calen loves telling how our helicopter was shot down we were lucky to survive and picked up by a convoy and then Calen somehow was reassigned there as to what he did I don't know" Riley took a sip of her wine before continuing "Anyway, In the last few months of my tour I had 2 days R&R in Dubai and I happened to help this businessman not get ripped off by a tailor and he offered me a job as an interpreter once I got out of the army" Riley continued "I laughed and said I'd be a doctor until the day I died but he gave me his card…he said 'you never know'… but being a doctor gave me purpose" she said in a retrospective voice.

"Obviously something changed your mind" Lorne said as he topped up Riley and his glass with wine.

"Yeah" Riley looked at the table she wore a serious expression. "Well, the ah 'you never know' happened and as you know war is no picnic" she shook herself out of whatever funk she was feeling "When I finished my service I took him up on his offer and I became a wildly successful interpreter" Riley finished she picked up her glass and sipped the wine.

Lorne nodded he could see she was still haunted, as flickers of sadness were present in her. He didn't want to push her. Everyone has scars they didn't like to talk about.

She picked up her fork and continued to eat "I actually don't mind being an interpreter it's easy work, get to travel the world" she said casually

"And other galaxies" Lorne replied,

"Yes, don't forget the free accommodation with ocean views" Riley said smiling "and the food"

"Dr Callahan please report to Lab4" Came over the PA "Dr Callahan Report to Lab4" Repeated again. Riley went for her ear piece but remembered she left it in her quarters "Do you mind if I borrow your radio?" She asked "I left mine next door"

"Sure" Lorne answered he got up and retrieved his hand set for her. The PA repeated the message "They must be desperate" Lorne said Riley took the radio from him they were both standing.

"Callahan to Control room" She said into the radio, she looked up at Lorne.

"Control room" the radio crackled

"Who is calling for me?"

"Dr McKay he said you weren't answering your radio Ma'am"

Riley sighed "Thank you… Patch me through to McKay"

"McKay here"

"McKay, Sunshine of my existence," she started sarcastically "What's going on?"

"I've been calling you for 20 minutes, where are you?"

"Eating dinner… it's supposed to be my night off" Riley said she gestured that they continue to eat, Lorne took his seat and as did Riley who took a bite of her pasta "I need you to translate something" McKay's voice came over the radio "So come to my Lab when you are done"

Riley swallowed her food and picked up the radio "Are you not listening? I said it's my night off" she replied as she swirled the last of her spaghetti onto her fork waiting for McKay.

"It's important and can't wait" McKay stated "So finish your meal and get over here" he ordered.

Riley pursed her lips unimpressed and then ate the last bite of her pasta and looked Lorne as she leaned in her chair "Did you not hear me?" McKay asked.

"Excuse me for one moment" she said to Lorne she picked up the radio and stood up from the table and turned her back to Lorne.

"I heard you McKay, and I have 6 linguists on the base who can help you with your dilemma so get a pen and paper and write them down, Dr Nayo, Grieves, Hartman, Krahn, Felsoov, and Handford. So why don't you radio all of them and if they can't put their 6 heads together and solve your translation issue then I will get to it tomorrow afternoon"

"They are incompetent I need a translation on the spot"

"Tomorrow afternoon it is"

"Tomorrow is too late!"

"Don't push it… I indulge you enough as it is… I could decide to leave all your work for next week" Riley warned. Lorne smiled beside the minor intrusion he liked where her priorities were at the moment for which seemed she wanted to be with him.

There was a long pause followed by a "Fine,tomorrow… Goodnight"

"Goodnight" she said, she turned off the radio and sighed she turned back to Lorne "I am so sorry that was really rude of me"

"Don't worry you can't help it" Lorne said he cleared away the plates to the side

"McKay is a slave driver for no reason at all" Riley said shaking her head she took her seat "So what's for dessert?" she asked raising an eyebrow. Lorne pulled out a plate with that was covered with a stainless steel lid and placed it in the middle of the table. Riley leaned forward in anticipation "Did I tell you Dessert is my favourite meal?" she asked, looking at Lorne.

"Really" he paused "I don't want you to be disappointed we are in the Pegasus Galaxy it may not be the best" he warned,

"You could have two cups of jelly turned upside down on this plate and I'd be happy as king" Riley replied sweetly.

"If I had known that earlier I could have arranged it" Lorne said as he lid off to reveal a slice of triple chocolate cheesecake. It was the chef's specialty he called it the 'Mortal Sin' and only made it on special occasions. It was surrounded by strawberries and grapes.

"Mmmm" Riley moaned as she ate a bite of the cheesecake "this is sooo good!"

"I'm glad you are enjoying it… it's called Mortal Sin" Lorne said watching as Riley enjoyed the dessert far more than he'd seen a person enjoy cheesecake before.

"A very apt name… you aren't going to have any?" she asked as she picked up a strawberry and bit into it.

"I was caught up your enjoyment" Lorne said with a sly smile.

"Can't help myself, it's the simple pleasures in life" Riley said frankly she carved another bit of cheesecake and enjoyed the delicious richness of the cake.

"Though I have a feeling you could spoil a girl" Riley said she had to admit she liked this, she hadn't been on a date in over 3 years. But there was something easy and freeing about around Lorne. She felt she could spill her guts on every facet of her life, but refrained there would be time for that.

"I guess you'll find out" Lorne said as he ate a bite of the cheesecake.


	11. Chapter 11

Lorne brushed a strand of hair behind her ear he moved in. As his face drew near to hers, she could feel his heated breath as he brushed his lips against hers, once then twice before meeting them for good.

Her arms wrapped slid up and around his neck. Her fingers caressed his nape, and sifted through his hair. His tongue started to lightly trace over lips sensually as he kissed her. Riley let out a moan, and Lorne matched it with a groan. She opened up her mouth and granted his tongue entrance. He wrapped his arms around her pulling her close.

"And that concludes today's meeting" Elizabeth said closing her folder. Riley snapped back to reality she had been replaying last night and this morning in her mind completely distracted. She now realised she had totally blanked the whole meeting she turned to Elizabeth who was smiling at her. The conference room emptied quickly and it was just the two of them.

"What?" Riley asked

"Are you ok?" Elizabeth asked wryly, she was wearing a grin that said she really did need an answer.

"Fine…Why?"

"You seem to be distracted in today's meeting" Elizabeth commented.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to be off with the pixies" Riley mumbled

"It wouldn't have to do with a rumour I heard this morning?"

"What rumour?"

"Oh just that a certain someone was seen canoodling with a certain Air Force Major"

"I can't believe you just said canoodling" Riley giggled she picked up her folder getting up from her seat.

"Well I'm only repeating Sheppard's words" Elizabeth replied casually

SGASGASGASGASGASGASGASGA

"So was it a date?" Laura asked in Riley's ear.

Riley jumped "You sneaky little.." Riley sighed her heart slightly racing from the shock. "One day you are going to give me a heart attack and kill me…" Riley said as she leaned back in her seat. Laura flopped into the chair opposite Riley's desk. "I thought you were on your way back to Earth"

"The Daedalus was until Major Marks's appendix decided to explode, we don't have a doctor on board to deal with that kind of mess So we came back…" Laura was playing with a strand of her hair. "so out with it" she grinned

Riley got up and closed the door to her office not wanting anyone to walk by and overhear them.

"You were right" Riley said

"Yes! I knew it!" Laura said triumphantly "so was it hot and heavy or did it fizzle… because I have to tell you Lorne doesn't inspire much in me" Laura said pulling a face "Good looking but he seems way too practical, level headed and sensible and well nice" Laura said. When Laura referred to a guy as 'nice' it was her polite way of saying 'boring' or if she referred to a date being 'nice' translated to she'd rather have scrubbed a toilet with a tooth brush than have wasted time going on said date.

"This coming from the girl who has a thing for a certain I would say 'nice' Scottish doctor" Riley said stirring Laura.

"Oh no! he is smart, intelligent, and sexy with a Scottish accent that makes me hot just thinking about it! Ooo and a sense of humour" Laura wore a dreamy smile "a gentleman… not like military guys euugh" she pulled a face "they are just little boys running around with guns thinking they are all macho whatever" she rolled her eyes "Don't ever date a marine"

"Wasn't planning to" Riley said

"So you didn't answer my question"

Riley smiled a blush graced her cheeks "Oh hot and heavy… not what I expected.. So tell me all" Laura said wriggling her eyebrows suggestively. Riley playfully punched her in the arm "No, I'm keeping this to myself" she said indignantly.

Laura opened her eyes wide "You little hussy!"

"What? No we haven't … not that I don't want to" Riley started "we are just taking it slow" she said shyly.

"Oh really… wow he must really like you and vice versa" Laura surmised

Riley bit her bottom lip "Yeah I do… it's kind of crazy, we just kind of click" Riley tried not to give it too much thought

"So when's the next date? And are you planning on going All the way"

Riley shrugged "Not sure yet, but it will happen" she said confidently

"Let me give you some advice" Laura said "And I'll even say it Australian so you can understand me" Laura spoke slowly, Riley laughed.

"Please do" Riley said as she gave Laura her full attention.

Laura sat up in her chair "Walk up to Lorne and give him a sultry look and say" she cleared her throat "How about it Lorne, let's do a naughty" Laura said with a deep and hideously ocker Australian accent. Riley burst out laughing

"What did I say it wrong?" Laura asked innocently, Riley was still laughing she held up her hand waving catching her breath. "No perfect delivery though but I would never say that"

"Why? Calen told me it's what all you Australians say when you want to get some action kind of like Nice shoes you wanna -" Laura left it unfinished.

"Or you could go to Beckett and say 'Ya fancy a shag luv?' I'm sure he'd be keen" Riley said, the two giggled and exchanged some more colourful phrases and horrible accent impressions until they couldn't breathe.

"Ok seriously, we have to stop" Laura said catching her breath "So spill about the date"

"Dates" Riley amended

"Plural" Laura said surprised "I like"

"Oh yeah," Riley's grin was so wide "It was really good"

"Ha by the look on your face 'really good' is an understatement" Laura said, She had not seen Riley smile the way she was in years. It was something amazing, not that Riley never smiled, by the gods the girl smiled and laughed her way through things that normal people couldn't but this smile was like 100 watts of happiness and gooey glowing.

"I really like him" she admitted "and he is really good with his hands and his mouth" Riley had a saucy grin on her face.

"Oh… I suddenly feel slightly disturbed" Laura said "He's my superior officer and like a brother to me. I don't think you should be telling me this" she put her hands over her ears. "I have to hold a straight face and salute him while mental images eww" Laura shook her head.

"Now you think about the consequences" Riley laughed looked at the clock on the wall "It's almost 7 you want to go grab something to eat? I'm starved"

SGASGASGASGASGASGASGASGA

"So how about it Riley, you want to do a naughty?"

Riley rolled her eyes as Laura laughed. "See I told you he said it!" Laura pointed out. Riley put her head on the table "Yeah but it doesn't work" She mumbled she raised her head and looked up at Calen "I thought you were going off world?" Riley asked as Calen took a seat opposite the two girls.

"In 3 hrs, anyway where have you been?"

"Working" Riley replied as she sipped her tea. "Why?"

"Just curious, Lt Cadman you are looking radiant this evening"

"Thanks, you aren't going to try and upset my girl are you?" Laura asked, she knew that the way Calen and Riley acted around each other was a game him flirting but she could tell Riley was growing tired of it.

"Me? I would never do such a thing" Calen said indignantly "Though frankly it's hard to ruffle Riley's feathers, I've only ever seen her express 4 different emotions" he held up four fingers. Riley raised her eyebrows "make that five" he corrected.

"Apathy, Mirth, Sarcasm" he said "Oh and passive aggressiveness"

"That's 4 and they aren't even emotions ding bat" Riley snapped as she put her cup on the table.

"Oh bitchy...you need to get laid… I'd be happy to service you" Calen offered, Riley reached across the table as slapped him up the side of the head.

"I am not a car, and eww I can do a lot better than you" Riley then turned to Laura "and don't you say nothing" She said to Laura who held her hands up in surrender.

"I'm just sitting here drinking my coffee" Laura said she picked up her coffee and took a sip

Calen narrowed his eyes at the girls, then they went wide "What's going on here?"

"Nothing to worry your pretty little head over" Riley replied.

Calen shrugged "Ok" he then opened his eyes wide and smiled "I just had a thought!"

"Well that's unprecedented" Riley said sarcastically

"hey" he said with false indignation "I'll have you know I think a lot. All the time"

"uhuh sure you do." She said placating. He seemed to forget what ever thought he had as they slipped into the easy banter.

SGASGASGASGASGASGASGASGA

"He just doesn't give up" Lt Dallas said shaking his head he watched Calen get slapped up the side of the head by Riley. "Who" Lorne asked, Dallas jutted his chin up in the motion of 'behind you'.

"Calen" he said, Lorne turned to see what Dallas was looking at, he and his team had finished dinner and debriefing over the next mission off-world they were going to embark on in 3days.

He saw Calen sitting with Cadman and Riley about 4 tables away. He could tell Riley was patronizing Calen by her facial expressions and the way she was nodding her head and smothering a smile at whatever Calen was saying. "Well I'm beginning to think he's a glutton for punishment" Lorne said as he turned back to the group.

"Yeah tell me about it, Calen is persistent in trying to 'woo' her but she just ain't biting" Dallas said he leaned back. "Though I can't blame him, she's real easy on the eyes and can play poker like a shark" Dallas took a bite out of his apple.

"She has made an impression, Kemp was talking about her at breakfast" Lt Rivers said smiling

"Of course he would…She wiped the floor with him at poker... he has a bruised ego that needs stroking" Dallas said "But he hasn't got a chance"

"What makes you so sure?" Rivers asked,

"She has a thing for the Major here, I saw them this morning together on the West pier" Dallas stated, Lorne choked on his coffee wondering what exactly Dallas was doing at that hour and what he saw to be exact. "You alright there sir?" Dallas asked innocently.

"Yeah" Lorne coughed to clear his throat nodding as Rivers slapped him on the back. "I'm good" he said.

"Well, well… What were they doing on the West Pier D?" Fisk asked

Dallas smiled widely "They were just running" he said "But it looked awfully cosy" he oozed. Lorne felt the back of his neck go red.

"Major Lorne come in" Sheppard's voice came over his ear piece. Lorne tapped it "Here sir" he said inwardly sighing a sigh of relief to get out of what could possibly turn into an incredibly uncomfortable situation for him. Not that he was embarrassed by being seen with Riley quite the opposite. If he had his way he would walk right up to her now and kiss her senseless in front of the mess.

But right now he wanted Riley to himself before everyone putting their two cents in and the aggravating fact that on Atlantis once a relationship went public there was a month or two of teasing and ribbing of said soldier for having a new girl especially if said soldier never crossed that line on Atlantis yet. He knew exactly what it was going to be like for him and he knew Sheppard was already planning to have a field day.

SGASGASGASGASGASGASGASGA

"Right!" Riley said emphatically to Calen "Look at the time shouldn't you getting ready to go off world and annoy villagers or something?" she asked, really wanting him to leave.

Calen looked at his watch "Oh yeah… Well ladies I'll see you around" with a wink and smile Calen ran off.

"So tell me you why he's still sniffing around you?" Laura asked.

Riley put her head on the table "I don't know he just won't leave me alone" she mumbled "He can be so exhausting"

"Ladies you mind if I join you?" Lt Dallas asked standing by the table. Laura shrugged and Riley waved a non committal hand at him not moving her head "Sure" she mumbled. Dallas smirked and took up Calen's seat he put his coffee on the table "She alright?" he asked gesturing to Riley. "Yeah she's fine, just tired… aren't you girl" Laura said tousling Riley's hair like she was a child. Riley made a whiney noise and slapped Laura's hand away.

"So what's going on D?" Laura asked she and Dallas had gone through boot camp together he was like a brother to her. "Nothing much just wrapped up dinner with debriefing, Lorne got pulled away by Sheppard for something what are you doing back?" he asked

"Marks decided he didn't like his appendix" Laura stated "The colonel didn't want his XO dying so we came back"

SGASGASGASGASGASGASGASGA

After her third cup of tea, Riley decided to call an early night for once leaving Laura and Lt Dallas talking about maybe holding a mixed poker night. She stopped momentarily outside Lorne's quarters and wondered if she should see if he was in but thought better of it. She didn't want to come across as clingy, as soon as she took a step towards her quarters Lorne's door opened and he stepped out perfectly timed.

He pulled her into his quarters, she was about to say something but Lorne shut her up with a kiss. The kiss that was meant to be playful at the start was followed with a more fierce and passionate kiss. Her hands gripped the front of his shirt to hold herself steady as he pulled her in close. Lorne kissed her within an inch of her life and when he relinquished her, Riley's brain decided it was definitely not going to play.

"Hey" Riley breathed she caught her breath. "have I mentioned you are some kisser" she said a little woozily, she patted out the wrinkles she had made in his shirt with a sheepish grin on her face. He had satisfied smile on his face.

"Well I don't want to brag…" Lorne joked, Riley playfully punched him he caught her hand and kissed her inner wrist. "Hey, so I was thinking, we could have breakfast tomorrow after our run"

Riley smiled she was about to answer when the door chimed "Do you want me to hid in the closet?" Riley asked as the door chimed again. Lorne chuckled "No" he kissed her quickly and stepped back to open the door.

When the doors opened Sheppard popped his head in "Major, I hope I'm not interrupting anything" he said stifling a grin "Oh hey Callahan"

Riley waved smiling "Sheppard" she said.

"What can I do for you Sir?" Lorne asked

"Actually I was looking for Callahan" Sheppard said "Can I have a word?" he asked looking at Riley. Lorne made moves to leave but Sheppard held up a hand "No need to leave Lorne"

"What's up?" she asked

"How do you feel about gate travel?" Sheppard asked

"Ahh doesn't bother me why?" Riley asked

"Day after tomorrow McKay wants to check out some ancient outpost want to join?"

"Sure, I'll clear my schedule"

"Great" Sheppard smiled "Well I better go"

"Hey why didn't you just radio me?" Riley asked before Sheppard turned he smiled.

"Because I wanted confirmation in person" he answered, he made it sound like he was answering two questions with one answer. Lorne rubbed the back of his neck as Riley took the answer a face value "Fair enough, well let me know the details and I'll be there" she said

"Ok now you two kids can go back to whatever you were doing" he said, as the door closed he shouted "and Be safe!"

"Did he just say be safe?" Riley asked

"I believe he just did" Lorne said with a cocky smile, Riley bit her bottom lip and smiled saucily at him.

"I think we are going to be outed before having a third date" Riley said closing the space between them.

"I'm sure he's rearranging my roster as we speak" Lorne said pulling her into him, he loved the feel of her body against his as he caged her in his arms. He could feel her heart pick up a few beats. She was intoxicating her scent of vanilla, and other soft flowers wreathed his senses.

"Is there something I should know?" Riley asked, narrowing her eyes at him, but still smiling her hands snaked under his shirt and up his back, the contact of her hands on his skin.

"Yeah your hands are freezing" Lorne said huskily moving his face in closer, Riley giggled "Oh Yeah what you going to do about it Major?" she asked cocking an eyebrow up at him.


	12. Chapter 12

"Riley?" Calen asked coming into the room. He had been searching all of the subsection of the western pier looking for Riley. He was beginning to think he'd been sent on a wild goose chase until he heard her conversing with Zelenka loudly in Czech.

"Calen, one second" Riley said from underneath the control panel she was working on she turned to Zelenka who was lying on the floor next to her

"You pull this one at the same time as me and it shouldn't overload" Zelenka spoke in Czech, She nodded and they counted down

"Chtyri…tri…dva…jeden…nula" they pulled their respective crystals and the panel shut down without sparking she smiled at Zelenka. Calen crouched down "Riley I need you desperately" he said looking at her with puppy dog eyes. "Maybe you should see Beckett about that" She said looking at the crystal in her hand and swapping with Zelenka.

"You are needed off-world" Calen said ignoring Zelenka who was mumbling in Czech. Riley raised an eyebrow "I'm busy go get Dr Nayo" she said Calen pulled her by the arm out from underneath the panel "Dr Nayo won't go off world, come on… Please?" Calen pleaded.

"I have plans for Friday" Riley stated she didn't want to end up off world for a week digging around the dirt for spear heads just because Calen got it wrong.

"Promise it won't take 4 days" Calen said crossing his heart. Riley sighed "Fine" she turned to Zelenka and garbled in Czech for a minute. Zelenka laughed "It's Ok I can do the rest without you" he said in English. Calen wondered what she said then thought better of it. "Ok, Pull me up" she said holding her hand out.

SGASGASGASGASGASGASGASGA

"So what's so important about this planet?" Riley asked as she entered the transporter with Calen and tapped the map for Gate room. The doors opened "There's some ruins with scribbles you'll like it" Calen said being elusive. They entered the TAC room and Riley got ready.

"Can I have a gun?" she asked as she picked up a radio and strapped it into her TAC vest. "Nope, you haven't done your weapons proficiency test yet… So no gun" Calen said still grinning.

"You ready?" he asked excitedly, Riley tossed her backpack onto her back and heading into the gate room, the Stargate was already dialling. "Why are you so happy?" Riley asked she hated when Calen grinned it meant he was either up to something or knew something she didn't either way that was never good. The Stargate activated "Nothing can't a guy just be happy for no reason" he asked he strolled up to the event horizon "With you? no" Riley replied as she stepped through.

When they reached the other side, Lt Kemp was waiting by the DHD for them, "Lieutenant, I come bearing gifts" Calen said gesturing to Riley.

Riley rolled her eyes "Hey Lieutenant" she said as she stepped down. "Callahan thanks for joining us" Kemp replied he smiled warmly he must have gotten over losing to her.

"Anytime" Riley responded returning the smile, she looked around taking in the surrounds, the gate was entrenched in a heavily forested area, it was slightly dry and cold. "Ready for a hike?" Calen asked turning to Riley, "We gotta head two clicks north of here" Kemp said "Lead the way" she gestured and they started through the vegetation.

An hour later,

"What can I say?" Calen asked, "Oh I don't how about 'Sorry' you nong" Riley answered as Lorne helped her up the large tree log in their path. "I don't she'd appreciate me calling her a 'nong' to her face" Calen smarted, he jumped down and held his arms open to catch her. Riley ignored his gesture and jumped from the log.

"Maybe you should not be such an arsehole" She offered as they kept making their way it felt like they had only covered about a kilometre it seemed to take time because the foliage and the density of the forest. Calen laughed and he snapped branches and cleared a path.

"Maybe, but then I wouldn't have as much fun" Calen had spent the last half of the trek informing Riley of his love life predicaments and apparently he had many. They walked in a line with Calen leading, Riley in the middle and Kemp to the back he had stayed silent pretty much of the entire way.

"Changing topic, I heard a rumour you went on a date last week. Some of the guys have been asking me if it's true. They want to know if they can ask you out" Calen said changing direction of the conversation.

Riley stopped in her tracks "What, like you're my father and they need your permission? Tell me you've never told anyone they need your permission to ask me out!" She said hands on her hips.

Calen gave her an evil grin and shrugged "So is it true?" He asked, ignoring her earlier statement, Riley sighed "No and my love life is none of your business".

"So I can green light some guys. Since you won't have me?" Calen said as Riley kept up the pace "No" Riley answered, Kemp was smothering a laugh.

"There is someone!" Calen proclaimed he snapped more branches out of the path. "You know you are kind of glowing" Calen said "Who is he?"

"If there was someone it would still be none of your business and when have you ever been interested in my love life?" Riley asked not liking Calen's direction, she didn't like people prying into her life. Though she did have to say she was pretty happy with her life at the moment.

"The day you rejected me, so who is the guy anyone I know?" Calen prodded you could hear him smiling.

"So how did you find these ruins?" Riley asked looking over her shoulder at Kemp.

"energy signal" Kemp answered he winked at her before she turned back to watching where she was walking.

"Hey don't change the topic" Calen protested, Riley ignored him "Not to be annoying but how far away is this place?" She asked

"Not too far" Kemp replied.

"Are we there yet?" Calen whined in a childish manner "How much further is it?" he continued, Riley rolled her eyes "Is he this annoying when he's with you?" Riley asked Kemp, he smiled shaking his head "No, it seems you bring it out in him" he replied.

"Thought so" Riley said, the forest seemed to become less dense and clearer.

They walked into an open meadow it was circular in pattern, it was slightly overgrown with vines and other plant life but what stuck out was the dais in the centre of the meadow. Riley dropped her back on the ground and walked around it. It was square in shape and reached to waist height. Some of the vines had been ripped off, Riley pulled her knife out and cut away the remainder and yanked some loose vines. The top of the dais revealed a circular pattern in the middle surrounded by a layout of stone keys, all with ancient language carved into it.

"So Doc, what do you think?" Kemp asked standing beside her, "I think this is going to take a while" she replied.

"Ok, you got 48 hours. We'll set up camp, you do your thing" Kemp informed her as he rallied his team.

Riley waved a distracted hand she was already absorbed in the Dais starting to translate it. Kemp smiled and turned to his guys and they did their thing.

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A few hours later,

Riley had photographed every square inch of the dais and uploaded it into her laptop. She leaned on the dais and reading the stone keys, when Calen walked up "So found anything of use?" he asked.

Riley swatted his hand away "Yeah a ZPM"

"What?"

"But I have to solve the riddles and enter in the right code so touching the stone keys is a no no" she chided wagging her finger at him.

"You saying there's a ZPM in there?" Calen asked not believing his ears.

"Yes" Riley replied she didn't seem to be taken in by the hype.

"What's this?" Kemp asked as he neared the two

"A ZPM" Riley replied nonchalantly as she traced the stone etching lightly.

"Where?" Kemp asked

"In there" Calen replied excitedly

"Well then let's get it out and go home" Kemp said plainly

"Not that easy Lieutenant, if I'm reading this right then we have to put in the right code and then out pops the ZPM" Riley informed him.

"We could save time and blow it up the stone!" Calen suggested excited at the prospect of using C4.

"As I understand it a ZPM is like a mini vacuum of space in a jar… not something I want to explode" Riley added

"Good point, well we are losing light so I suggest we have dinner and tomorrow we'll call Atlantis and let them know the good news" Calen said rubbing his hands together.


	13. Chapter 13

Later, once the sun had set they were sitting around the camp fire.

"hmmm MRE's are one thing I do not miss about the Army" Riley commented as she chowed down

"you were in the Army?" Kent asked

"Yep, how did you think I met this joker" she said pointing to Calen who was sitting next to her, they laughed.

"though the hot chocolate is much better than I remember from 4 years ago" she commented sipping on her drink. The temperature had dropped significantly once it became dark there was a chill in the air.

Riley zipped her jacket up to the neck to keep the warm in "You cold Riley?" Calen asked sweetly he leaned on her "You know we could share a sleeping bag, conserve heat" he said wriggling his eyebrows suggestively.

"I'll take my chances…who knows what I'd catch sharing with you" she replied,

"awwh you wound me" Calen said with a pained face.

"you'll live" Riley clipped him over the head and got up from her seat on the ground "Where you going?" Calen said pouting he rubbed the back of his head.

"To work, something you should try doing once in a while" she said grinning she walked over the dais with a lamp and her notebook under her arm holding her cup of hot chocolate.

An hour later,

Kemp walked up to Riley who was furiously writing in her notebook, "Pen and paper, very old school…Here" he said as handing her a fresh cup of hot chocolate "thanks" she said taking the drink in her hands and having a sip.

"It's pretty quiet out here…" there was a burst of laughter from Calen followed by shouting and yahooing interrupted the peace. "I take that back" Riley said.

Kemp laughed "Yeah Calen is pretty loud" he replied as he leaned on the dais, he looked at the notebook which was open to the middle. The page was covered in drawings and writing going in several different directions.

"So Lieutenant, should I be afraid of wild animals tonight?" Riley asked she had not missed his attention to her notes.

"I think you have to be more worried about Calen than any wild animal out there" Kemp commented looking back up at Riley, he gave her a boyish grin.

"Hey Kemp you aren't trying to crack onto my woman I hope" Calen teased as he neared the two. Riley grabbed Calen by the ear "Seriously we talked about this" she chided teasingly, Calen squirmed "OW..Ow ok, Ok you aren't my woman please let go" Calen pleaded, Riley released Calen ear.

"I was just coming over to say I'm turning in, Hale is taking first watch Sir" Calen said rubbing his ear "So you two kids don't stay up to late ok?" with that Calen pivoted on his feet and headed to his tent. "Calen can be very tiring sometimes" Riley said once Calen was out of ear range, Kemp chuckled.

"How is it going?" he asked, changing topic Riley pushed her book over.

"See for yourself" she said smiling over her cup. The notebook pages were covered in writing in several different languages and drawings and scribbles going in all different directions. It looked like a madman's journal.

"It looks -"Kemp started trying to find the right word "Mental?" Riley supplied.

"Well I was going to say interesting way of thinking" he supplied.

Riley laughed "Thank you… Well if you'll excuse me Lieutenant I think I will turn in for the night as well" She picked up her gear, Kemp moved forward to help her.


	14. Chapter 14

The next morning, Riley was leaning over the dais finishing up the translations when Calen walked over "Morning sunshine" he greeted as he zipped up his TAC vest "Morning" she replied not looking up. He moved in close and looked over her shoulder "You smell nice this morning" Calen whispered in her ear he took a deep breath for emphasis and sighed.

"Thanks pervert don't you have to haul ass back to the gate and tell them of our find?" Riley asked writing in some more translations.

"Yeah, you want me to bring anything back?"

"Nope"

"Ok you play nice with Kemp and Kent today we'll be back in a couple of hours" Calen used his parental voice

"I'll wait with abated breath" Riley muttered under her breath as Calen strode over to Kemp who was leaning against a tree watching Riley.

"Sir, I leave her in your capable hands" Calen said saluting and walking off with Hale.

"You know I'd dress him down for insubordination" Riley said looking up from her notes. Kemp shrugged and walked over to her "I think he'd enjoy it" he replied, Riley laughed

"Yeah he probably would" she agreed. "Hey where's Kent?" Riley asked she hadn't seen him since last night. Kemp shrugged "I don't know, he probably stepped out for a few" he replied, but now that she mentioned it he hadn't seen Kent either.

He radioed for Kent and no response he tried again nothing. He walked over to Riley, "I'm going to go circle round if you need me I'll be on radio ok" he said, he handed her his Beretta

"You know how to use one of these?" he asked, she took the gun and switched off the safety and cocked it ready to go.

"I'll be back in 20" he told her, she nodded "See you soon" she said and went back to her notes.

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Calen and Hale reached the Gate in good time, they had been bantering over women for most of the trek. "I have to say dude you better watch out for Kemp I think he's going to poach that Doctor friend of yours" Hale said stepping over a dried creek bed.

"Least of my concerns" Calen replied.

Hale stopped and turned "I don't get you man," he said shaking his head as he reached the DHD.

"Well there are more important thing in life" he said casually, as he grabbed Hale from behind and snapped his head to one side breaking his neck. Hale fell to the ground dead, Calen picked up Hale's lifeless body into the shrubbery away from the DHD. He then knelt down and opened the panel to the main crystals and smashed them with the butt of his P90 before heading back to the camp.


	15. Chapter 15

Kemp couldn't find Kent, anywhere after 20 minutes he returned to find Riley still pouring over her notes in the same position he left her. "Everything alright?" she asked as she sensed his return. "Yeah Kent is lost, but I'm sure he'll reappear at lunch" Kemp said leaning on the dais Riley seemed unperturbed,

"How are you going?" he asked looking at her scribbling notes "I think I'm nearly there, I want to make sure just in case it's a one-time try, though I could use a break" she admitted.

"Ok, what movie do you want to watch with me tomorrow night?" Kemp asked, Riley closed her note book, giving Kemp her full attention.

"Smooth Lieutenant Kemp" Riley said smiling she chuckled "But I'm kind of into someone else at the moment"

"Calen?" he asked casually

"Euuugh No" Riley shook her head, with a expression of disgust. Kemp laughed.

"Then who is the lucky person?" Kemp asked "I mean you are turning down this" he gestured to his handsome physique "I gotta know who the lucky man is"

"Who says it's a man?" Riley asked jokingly with a saucy smile.

Kemp was about to say something when Calen voice came over the radio "Lieutenant, I found Kent, you might want to come to my location just 1 click west of camp" Kemp clicked his radio "Ok, on my way" he looked at Riley "I'll be back" he said with a cocky smile.

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Calen waited for Kemp, he estimated it would take the lieutenant at least 17 minutes to reach his position. He smiled only had to get rid of Kemp and then get the ZPM and Life would unfold just the way he wanted it to.

Kemp hiked through the forest, heading west when he reached Calen who was lying down with his P90 was laying next to him he was looking over the edge of a cliff "Calen, where's Hale and Kent?" Kemp asked.

"Down there" Calen gestured, getting up. Kemp unclipped his P90 and laid it on the ground before lying on the ground to look over. He saw Kent's body lying in the creek bed below, his neck was twisted at an unnatural angle. Kemp rolled on his back and Calen offered him a hand up. Calen grasped his hand and yanked Kemp up swiftly him into a choke hold, recognizing the move instinctually Kemp bent forward and wrapped his left leg behind Calen's and turned 180 degrees and flipped Calen to the ground. Calen sprung to his feet as Kemp moved away from the ledge and dropped into a defensive stance.

"What are you trying at?" Kemp asked Calen took up a fighting stance, Calen didn't answer but took the first swing, Kemp parried it and right hooked Calen. Calen staggered before it became a melee of them kicking, jabbing and twisting and throwing each other around.

Until Calen got in a lucky shot and kicked Kemp's leg out, Kemp buckled forward and Calen punched up thrusting into Kemp's rib cage. Kemp heard something crack as he fell forward winded from the punch to his solar plexus. He rolled onto his back once he hit the ground, he noticed he was close to his P90 he picked it up and aimed it at Calen.

"Don't move" Kemp ordered, Calen stood his ground. "Sorry, Kemp... no can do" Calen smiled and with ajovial shrug he turned and ran into the forest, Kemp fired in the direction of Calen hoping he clipped him. Kemp got to his feet quickly and groaned from the pain he definitely had broken ribs, he sucked it up and through the forest after Calen.

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Riley heard the gun fire and reached for the Beretta and picked up the radio "Lieutenant Kemp come in" she said she waited for a reply, but all she got was static. She wondered what standard protocol was, she tried a second time with the radio and still no answer she turned to go in the direction of the gunfire when Calen came tearing through like a bat out hell.

He stopped and smiled "Hey Riley" He said, "Calen what the hell is going on? I heard gunshots" She said as she slightly lowered her berretta but kept alert.

"We have some trouble" Calen said he leaned over trying to catch his breath.

"How so?" Riley asked

"We need to get out of here…Can you get the ZPM out" Calen said straightening up. "Of course" Riley said she turned to the dais and stopped "Where are the others?" she asked her hands hovering over the first key. She heard the click of the safety first then the cold barrel of the gun against her neck.

"You should really worry about yourself Riley" Calen smiled coldly he pulled the gun from her other hand.

"Oh you could say I'm worried" Riley replied

"and yet you seem as cool as cucumber Riley… just like the first day we met" He chuckled "I wonder what rattles your cage" He stepped back from her "Just get the ZPM out" he ordered.


	16. Chapter 16

Riley took a deep breath, and looked out of her peripherals before making her move. In a less than a second she snapped around to face Calen. She grabbed his arm that was holding the gun. Holding it she stepped forward and elbowed Calen in the face she turned and kneed him in the Chest and ripped the gun from his hand.

As she moved away he pulled her legs out from under her, the gun flew out of her hands, Riley sprung to her feet and Calen did the same "Well well you want to play" Calen cheered.

"Not really" Riley said as she swung a right punch, Calen skilfully deflected and punched her in the face she staggered back.

"Awwh come on" Calen jeered as he threw a right hook, and then a left. She blocked each of them and tried to knee him in the stomach. He pushed her backwards. It becomes fast and hectic as they punch and parry each other's shots only landing a few in.

Calen tried for another Left hook and Riley bended backwards and grabs his arm and he countered by elbowing her in the face. Riley fell back and then regained her footing, Riley kicked Calen in the mid section, he groaned at the connection. But grabbed her leg and yanked her off balance she fell to the ground and hit her head on a rock.

"It's just no fun.. you really should learn to fight" Calen said. He felt the bullets whizz past his head, one struck him in the arm before he ducked to the ground. Somehow in those short seconds Riley pulled herself to her feet and ran into the forest. Calen cursed and shot a couple of rounds in the direction of the fire and then went in pursuit of Riley.

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Kemp groaned Calen had shot him in the shoulder and the chest. At least Riley had gotten away, but Calen had devil's luck taking pot shots into the forest and he managed to hit Kemp. His radio crackled "This is Atlantis, Lieutenant Kemp come in"

"Kemp here" he said clicking his radio on. "Calen has gone Rogue request backup immediately"

"Hang tight" Sheppard's voice said over the radio.

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Riley ran as fast as she could she had no idea where she was going she just had to put space between her and Calen. She tripped and fell onto the ground. "Get up" she told herself as she got back to her feet and tried to catch her breath, bent over wheezing her ribs were killing her, her head was bleeding and pounding. She looked around for somewhere to hide.

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Calen could hear her running like a bat out of hell, he grinned he liked the chase plus she wasn't trained like him he slowed when he noticed the branches ahead were broken in a pattern that suggested she fell. Then the tracks became erratic he squatted down to examine them more closely.

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Riley held her breath as she watched Calen below he was looking at the ground. She tried not to move to minimise the tree branches from creaking but it was hard her arms and legs were shaking from the exertion of climbing and the adrenaline that was pumping through her. She wondered how long it would take him to track her when he suddenly looked up she pulled herself back hoping he hadn't seen her.

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Sheppard stood in front of the Active Stargate "Here's the situation, Daedalus is going to take an hour to get to the planet. So we are all going to save the day and hopefully let the Daedalus clean up the mess. As far as Kemp has informed us Calen has gone rogue. use Deadly force only if necessary. I preferably want him alive… We fan out in teams… You all have life signs detectors use them the planet has dense brush. Kemp also said Callahan is out there so keep an eyeball for a redhead and try not to shoot her… we like her. Everyone clear?" he asked, a few smiles were smothered at the last part but all followed with firm 'Yes sir'.

"Move out" Sheppard ordered and took his team through first. They reached the other side of the gate and immediately took cover and waited as Lorne and his team and a team of Special Forces to come through. Sheppard signalled to Teyla, Ronon and McKay to follow him. He then directed the other teams in their designated directions.

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Calen ran in circles trying to find Riley she was apparently sneakier than he gave her credit for. He went and retrieved his P90 he wondered idly where Kemp was. His would have taunted him on the radio but somehow on of Kemp's first attempts of shooting him had obliterated the small mechanism.

Calen was fast becoming FUBAR he knew that Atlantis would be calling in soon and they would send a team he couldn't leave the others alive if wanted to continue undetected in the ranks of Atlantis. He retraced Riley's steps and then he noticed something he had missed before scuff marks up the side of the tree. She was up in the canopy he shook his head for missing it earlier. He heard a snap of a branch and shot a few rounds into the tree tops maybe he could scare her down.

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Sheppard motioned for his team to stop when they heard the fire echo in the forest. Dense was understatement the forest was overgrown and difficult to traverse. Sheppard clicked his radio "Anything yet?" he asked the teams both reported negative. His life signs detector bounced only one life signs reading so far. So they move toward it, Sheppard had surmised that it was Calen since I hadn't moved for the last 20 minutes.

It turned out it was Lt Kemp, he lowered his weapon when he saw Sheppard come out of the foliage. "Sorry sir, I was expecting Calen" He said wincing,

"What is going on?" Sheppard asked as McKay, Teyla and Ronon kept a lookout. He knelt down beside Kemp. The lieutenant didn't look so good.

"Don't know, we found a ZPM and Calen did a 180 on us. Hale and the others are dead"

"Callahan?" Sheppard asked as he bandaged Kemp's arm.

"Alive, hopefully but Calen is on her tail" Kemp groaned.

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Lorne and his team went north-west direction from the gate as Sheppard's went north. There was no sign of anyone in their vicinity on the scanner. Dallas sidled up to him "Sir, still got nothing" he said in low voice.

"I'm sure she'll be fine" Dallas added, Lorne nodded he didn't want to think the worst, but it was hard when they stumbled onto Hale's dead body. Calen had killed a highly trained Marine with what seemed like little effort. It wasn't comforting to know that he might find Riley in the same position. He knew she was strong and wouldn't go down without a fight but she wasn't trained. She seemed a survivor to him so he held onto that as they continued their trek.

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Riley held her forehead trying will away the nausea and wooziness she was feeling as she tried to think and not panic, she had to get back down to the ground before Calen started firing more than a few shots into the tree tops. She couldn't see him and she couldn't hear him either. But if his shots were any indicator he was close and he was now armed with a P90. He obviously now knew where she was hiding. She moved between the trees and caught a glimpse and saw him looking in the opposite direction to her. She took her chance and climbed back down to the ground and started to run back towards the clearing.

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Calen smiled as he heard the tell tale sounds of Riley sliding down the tree he'd give her just a few seconds to make sure she was definitely on the ground before tracking her down. And then there it was the breaking of branches and undergrowth being crushed by a panicked woman desperately trying to live.

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Riley had made it back to the clearing she was running and weaving as fast as she could. When suddenly an arm snaked out of nowhere and encircled her waist. Before she could react the arm tightened pulling her off her feet and a hand covered her mouth.

TBC


	17. Chapter 17

Calen pulled her in tight covering her mouth she squirmed in his grasp "You are quite light on your feet Riles, I'll give you that" he whispered in her ear. She jerked in his grasp trying to get away but he squeezed her tighter using enough strength to still her, he had seen Sheppard and his team the other side of the clearing in the brush. Considering the fact Riley hadn't screamed meant she probably had no idea Sheppard or Ronon were standing just in view of the other side of the Clearing. _Finally maybe things were starting to look up he _thought

"Come on, we need to talk" He sneered as he pulled her back away from the clearing, his height helped him in holding her off the ground. Once he felt they were a safe distance away from Sheppard and the others he shoved her against the nearest tree.

She hissed obviously in pain. He smiled as he had the upper advantage pressing her hard against the tree she could barely breathe. He didn't need her getting enough oxygen to scream if the thought crossed her mind.

"What you going to do?" Riley asked as she tried to breathe. "Cop a feel?"

Calen gave her a perverse smile "Funny, I was thinking we could talk" he said, he grabbed her arms to still them. He leaned in close, Riley moved her head back only to bump the tree. "Then talk" Riley breathed.

"Straight to the point, I don't need to kill you Riley, I just want to get the ZPM and be on my –" Calen didn't get to finish his sentence as Riley headbutted him. He was momentarily stunned and stepped back.

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Sparks and stars sprang into Riley's vision she shook her head, the pain was other worldly. Riley felt disorientated but moved at Calen. He held his head looking stunned as blood dripped down his forehead in his distraction, Riley kneed him in the groin, hard. He groaned in pain and fell forward winded and in pain.

Riley took off running as fast as she could, she knew she just needed distance and location. Her priority was to get to the Stargate, she just needed to get to the clearing and then from there she could remember the way. So she focused on that and ignored the rest.

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"Did you say ZPM?" McKay spoke up "where?" he looked around.

Sheppard shot him a look, the ZPM they could come back for.

"Callahan is the priority…Did you see which way she ran?" Sheppard asked, he and Teyla lowered Kemp onto his back so Teyla could keep pressure on the chest wound it was bleeding badly. Sheppard looked up at the sky dark clouds were rolling in, a storm was brewing.

"North west of here" Kemp groaned from the pain as Teyla applied pressure to staunch the bleeding. "The ZPM is in the block of stone, Callahan was figuring out how to get it out" Kemp's face screwed up in pain. McKay started to walk into the Clearing but Sheppard stopped him "Where do you think you are going?" he asked.

McKay pointed to the clearing "Where do you think? we need the ZPM" he replied matter of factorily.

"You forget that we have a highly skilled soldier running around with a P90 out there, you stay here until we catch Calen, then you can play ok?" Sheppard said

"Come on we have the life signs detector I can hide before he gets back if he does" McKay said waving the life signs detector. Sheppard grabbed the Life signs detector from McKay. The screen was blacking out then turning back on "Is it broken?" Sheppard asked

"What?" McKay grabbed it back and started fiddling "Oh no"

"What?" Ronon asked looking out to the clearing, thunder crackled in the air. McKay looked at the sky then at the detector. His face screwed in frustration

"McKay" Sheppard prompted, lightning streaked the sky

"I think it's an electromagnetic storm… it must be interfering-" McKay didn't finish when a clap of thunder sounded.

"Storm is messing with the detector" Sheppard prompted, "Great…Let's move Kemp into the tent under cover who knows when it's going to start raining"

Sheppard tapped his ear piece. "All teams fall back to my position" he rattled off his location.

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Lorne and his team were just at the edge of the clearing Sheppard had describe in his location when Dallas spoke up "I got two dots"

Thunder sounded again "Lost the screen, but before it blinked to our 6…" Dallas shook the device in vain when the screen blinked on again "Oh one dot left the other dot and it's coming this way I estimate in the next couple of minutes… hard to tell" Dallas said

"You sure about that seems like a lot of estimating for dots" Fisk said looking up at the dark clouds, the forest had grown darker. With the rumbling of the storm and the swaying of the branches it was difficult to make out any other noises that would be man-made.

"Ok , it's gotta be Callahan" Lorne stated, he couldn't imagine Calen running from her.

"I vote for Callahan" Rivers said holding his hand in the air. Lorne consider their options.

"Clothesline?" Dallas suggested,

Lorne smiled and nodded, "Good idea…let's get to it"

"What?" Fisk and Rivers asked in unison looking lost. Lorne filled the two in quickly, while Dallas looked around for what he needed.

Dallas smiled when he found what he was looking for "I'm ready" he said.

"Remember Sheppard said alive" Lorne smiled too. "Let's get into position" They got into position and waited less that 10 seconds had passed and Lorne could hear the footfalls of someone running their way he nodded to Rivers to be ready.

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Calen groaned, and got to his knees and picked up the P90, he screwed on a silencer to the barrel and switched the setting to single fire. He knew she was heading back to the Clearing such an obvious manoeuvre, she was a fair distance from him now but he could still make the shot. He just couldn't believe she had gotten away again, she was going pay. He took a deep breath and aimed and he took the shot. He watched as she stumbled over a log and out of sight. He silently cheered, and got to his feet running to where she was.

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The footfalls grew even closer to their position, Lorne waited it didn't take long before Riley jumped up on the log in view she hadn't even made the step down when a bullet tore through the side of her thigh. Lorne watched as if it were slow motion, she yelped as she lost her balance and fell onto the ground. He rushed forward and pulled her by the vest out of the way. Dallas signalled from his position that Calen was coming.

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Calen ran full bolt after Riley he had to get to her before Sheppard or anyone else decided to their round on this side of the clearing. He really should have broken her leg when he had the chance earlier. It would have saved him a lot of aggravation and an ice bag for his family jewels. He really should have planned it all better then again things couldn't get any worse. Thunder sounded through the forest.

He was coming up to where he estimated Riley fell to the ground when he was stopped by a branch that dropped out of nowhere and smacked him in the chest and knocked him off his feet. He fell flat onto his back gasping for air from the shock and pain. Lt Rivers came into sight and kicked the P90 out of his hand followed by Captain Fisk. Who aimed a wraith stunner at him and then everything went black.

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Riley's eyes grew wide when she looked up and saw Lorne. She wondered if the second blow to the head was making her hallucinate as he pulled her away. He held a finger to his mouth in the motion to stay quiet. She nodded, relief washed over her then the pain hit her she bit her bottom lip and closed her eyes trying not to make a noise. She leaned her head back against the tree sitting up with her leg straight out in front of her.

Riley didn't know when or how far behind Calen was. When she heard the crash and the sound of movement and some other noise followed by "All Clear" it was the best thing she had heard all day.

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**Author's Note: I want to say thank you to all who have been waiting patiently and also for the reviews! They really help me to improve … lol or at least I hope I improve anyways my uni semester is nearly over So more chapters will be coming up real soon!**


	18. Chapter 18

Lorne wrapped her leg in field dressing quickly to staunch the bleeding, he then cupped her face, taking a good look at her she was a mess of moss, leaves, dirt and blood. He leaned down his face was close to hers.

"Riley" he said in a low voice, she opened her eyes and tears streaked down her face, he used his thumbs to brush away the tears, smudging the blood and dirt. "Hey you're safe" he said to her in a hushed tone. Riley nodded but the tears continued to flow on their own accord. She didn't say anything, he watched her for a moment the emotions splashed across her face as she struggled to keep control of them.

"Let's get you back to camp" Lorne said as he effortlessly lifted her up into his arms.

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"Is it bad that I found that just a little satisfying?" Dallas asked innocently he was holding a long solid branch in his hands grinning. He stood over Calen's unconscious form ready to hit him again if necessary.

"No, though we should keep that for when we go on stag in the gate room…it's a good branch" Rivers said finishing up the last knots tying Calen up.

"hmm interesting thought and then we can use it for limbo in our down time with some attractive scientists" Fisk suggested, the three men threw around a few other suggestions.

"Guys, focus" Lorne said interrupting them. Riley rested her head on his shoulder. He could feel her trembling in his arms as he held her. He felt relieved to have her in his arms. She was alive, a mess but alive and that's all that mattered to him. Now he just wanted to take her back to Atlantis, where she would feel safe.

"Sorry sir" they all piped at once.

"Lorne is right let's get back to camp and get the glory… For once we are the A-Team" Dallas joked "We got the baddie and the girl"

Rivers picked up Calen's feet while Fisk took Calen's hands. Dallas took point and they all headed to the Clearing.

"Do you think it's going to rain?" Dallas asked making polite conversation, as lightning streaked the sky.

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Sheppard and Ronon stood outside the tent "think it'll blow over?" Ronon asked looking at the sky.

"I hope so, Daedalus won't be in for another hour. I really don't want to get bogged down in mud" Sheppard said. They heard movement, he and Ronon instinctively aimed their guns in the direction of the noise only to relax when they heard Major Dallas's voice call out.

They came out of the forest into the Clearing, Dallas holding a branch, with Fisk and Rivers lugging a body.

"Someone order a side of Calen?" Dallas asked like he was a waiter, the boys were grinning from ear to ear. Sheppard neared them he noted it was Calen "Well done" he said impressed.

"Oh it was nothing sir, though we did have to use quite a difficult military manoeuvre to get the sucker but here he is" Dallas said chuffed.

"Yeah, Clothes lining a guy with a branch… Really difficult" Fisk said shaking his head.

"Hey don't shoot your mouth, it's all about the right branch and timing that takes skill Padawan" Dallas said holding his branch proudly.

"I look forward to the report, Callahan?" Sheppard asked hoping she wasn't collateral damage in what was probably going to be a funny story later in the mess.

"Alive" Dallas said he jerked a thumb at Major Lorne who was holding Callahan in his arms. Sheppard stepped towards the two and tilted his head at Callahan.

She had her eyes closed "She ok?" he asked looking at Lorne,

"Head wound, concussion, and GSW to the leg, just to start… she has lost a lot of blood… passed out" Lorne replied, Sheppard nodded

"Great" Sheppard said "Kemp is in a bad way… take her to the tent and see if you can revive her"

Lorne nodded and carried her to the tent.

He turned to Lorne's team and gave them orders to keep watch on Calen, before following Lorne.

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Lorne laid Riley on the ground carefully, inside the tent. Kemp lay to the other side with Teyla next to him. Kemp did look pretty bad he was stripped of his vest and jacket he had a bandage wrapped around his chest that had blood stained on it.

Lorne turned his attention back to Riley, he pulled out his bandana and used the water he had and gently washed the blood and dirt off her face. He left the gash on her forehead alone since it had crusted up, but once the dirt and muck was nearly gone she started to look herself just a very pale version. He gently cradled her face and leaned over to whisper in her ear to get her to wake up.

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Sheppard pushed the flap of the tent back, He noted that Callahan had been cleaned up and Lorne was whispering something in her ear. He couldn't hear what Lorne was saying but it was working, Riley eyes opened sluggishly as she groaned. Lorne smiled down at her as she reciprocated the smile with her own drowsy one. Sheppard felt a little uncomfortable like he was intruding in on a private moment, this side of Lorne was something he thought he would never witness. His 2IC was definitely head over heels for the girl, and she him.

Sheppard cleared his throat and Lorne looked up "Riley is a bit out of it" Lorne said, he turned back to Callahan "We need you to look at Kemp, he isn't doing so great think you are up for it?" Lorne said to her, his voice was calm direct. 'Bit out of it' was an understatement Sheppard thought looking at Riley. She could barely keep her eyes open.

"Yep, I need to get up" Riley slurred slightly, Lorne griped her arm monkey style and pulled her up slowly and supported her back with his other hand.

SGASGASGASGASGASGA

Riley felt like she had been hit by a truck. Everything hurt, and she was exhausted she hadn't realised she had passed out until she heard Lorne whispering in her ear gently telling her to wake up. Her eyes felt heavy but she kept them open being greeted by Lorne's face, now all she had to do was gain control of her other faculties and she was set. Lorne had pulled her up so she was upright, her vision swam as her head swoon "Whoa" she leant forward but Lorne quickly stabilised her pulling her back up. Blinking a few times seemed to help the swimming slightly, she slowly looked from Lorne to Sheppard who was now at her other side.

"Sure you are up for this Doc?" Sheppard asked concerned

"Yeah, I just cracked my head a couple of times today, brains a little scrambled" She said taking a deep breath "Kemp?"

"To your Left" Lorne said

"He has a GSW to the upper right of his chest, the bullet is still in" Sheppard informed her. Riley didn't nod in case it aggravated her brain "Ok, I'm going to need a hand getting up" she said, with no effort at all Riley was pulled to her feet and helped to Kemp's side. Teyla told her what she had done to Kemp and his vitals.

"You going to have help lower me" Riley stated, she couldn't do it herself. at least she knew she'd probably fall and make an idiot of herself if she did. She hated feeling weak.

"Your leg" Lorne stated

"Will be fine this will only take a second" Riley assured him.

With assistance Riley lowered to her knees and ignored the blinding pain from her thigh, it would heal even if she had to endure the pain for now. Kemp was the priority.

Riley felt Kemp's pulse and lifted the bandage to take a peek. Her whole body shivered in a sickening fashion, she felt the urge to be sick but pushed it down. Sparks flitted through her vision_… not good, keep it together Riley you can do this just have to focus_ she thought.

Lorne at her side she closed her eyes. "You ok?" he asked in a low voice. She felt his strong arm secured around her waist giving her support. She wondered if he could feel her body revolting against her.

"I'm good" she assured him, though it was a lie "Can you tell me what's in the kit".

Teyla listed the items in the small kit for her. It was basic med kit: surgical gloves, bandages for combat dressing, gauze, tourniquet, Asherman chest seal, NPA, suture kit, rubbing alcohol and surgical tape.

Riley listened to Teyla's soothing voice and sat back on her heels, she took a deep breath. She centred herself tried to ignore the trembling of her hands, the sickening shakes of her body.

She flexed her fingers she could do this… She had treated this wound over a thousand times… not while she was concussed or bleeding from her leg but it was like a walk in the park… a very painful park her thigh was screaming… she had to do this quick. She felt a surge of adrenaline pump through her easing the pain enough for her to focus. She just had to do this one thing and then she could be selfish and keel over.


	19. Chapter 19

**Author's Note: I'm not a medical person… so if this was real life the person would probably be dead from this next bit… but this is fiction so just go with it… lol**

Riley leaned in and listened to Kemp's breathing "Ok pass the gloves"

"Kemp" she tapped Kemp's face, his eyes opened just barely. "Doc" he murmured, Riley nodded "Kemp I need to stay still" she told him as she pulled the gloves on.

"Ka Bar" Riley asked Sheppard handed her his Ka bar before Lorne could. Riley took the hilt of the Ka Bar and inhaled deeply and exhaled. She examined the intercostals muscle that surrounded the bullet wound and aimed the knife over the wound.

She didn't think… it wasn't required she knew what she had to do, no hesitation she sliced into the wound. Kemp groaned in pain.

"It really hurts can't you stop for a second?" Kemp asked his face was screwed up from the pain.

"I have to get the bullet out first…it's in deep" Riley said ignoring Kemp's plea to stop, as she sliced further. The bullet had moved she pushed the muscle and tissue out of the way to see.

"Really… ya think" Kemp said sarcastically he gasped for air.

"Almost there…Got it" she said as pulled the bullet out, she put it to the side and stuck the knife into the ground. "Chest seal" she said, Teyla passed it over and Riley placed it in and then packed the wound with gauze then wrapped a tight bandage around Kemp's chest the blood had stopped flowing as hard as before. She opened the valve on the chest seal, and Kemp breathing improved.

"See that wasn't too hard" Riley said

"Maybe for you" Kemp grimaced

"Well maybe you shouldn't get shot" Riley offered as she smiled sweetly.

"Sage advice, I'll keep in mind for next time" Kemp said dryly, he winced, Lorne watched the two exchange barbs in a friendly manner. Kemp was looking slightly brighter for someone who was shot even if he was still pale and clammy.

Riley pulled her gloves off and Lorne helped her to her feet. "I think I'm going to have to redress your leg" Lorne said as he helped her back over to where she was lying before and lowered her down.

She raised herself up onto her elbows and watched as Lorne pulled the dressing back, "You're bleeding pretty bad" Lorne said he undressed the bandage.

"It needs stitches" Riley said, she winced as Lorne gingerly used his Ka Bar to cut the fabric of her pants out of the way.

"Definitely" Lorne agreed "You are lucky the bullet only grazed you, well do you trust me to sew it up or do you want me to wrap it up, the Daedalus should be here in an hour or so"

"Stitch it up" Riley said, her tone was firm, no hesitation.

"Ok, any requests… a thunderbolt, butterfly maybe a name?" he joked

"Just make it neat and preferably a line" Riley said tongue in cheek. Lorne grabbed the suture kit and pulled on some clean gloves. "Though if I find you stitched your name into my leg there will be hell to pay" she warned with a smile. Lorne chuckled as he cleaned the wound with alcohol; Riley laid back and sucked in her breath from the pain.

"Ok, you want a blow by blow of what I'm doing?" he asked

"Nope just get it done" Riley said waving a hand at him, she covered her eyes with her arm. She tried to stay as still as possible feeling every suture, her heart thumped in her throat. It felt like Lorne was taking his time, normally something she'd pride about people but right now he was killing her metaphorically, of course. She wished she had gone with the new dressing and waited for the Daedalus.

After what felt like an hour, Lorne finally said "Done" he redressed her wound, Riley got up on her elbows again and watched Lorne as he finished tying off the bandage, she sighed "Thank you"

"How are you feeling?" Lorne asked, Riley was not looking good.

"Like I might be sick, what's McKay trying to do?" Riley asked as she looked outside the tent. She winced at the pain shooting up the side of her thigh. She wanted a distraction.

"Getting the ZPM" Lorne replied "With not much luck I might add we may have to come back"

Riley gave him a funny look "There's no need, I can get it out…Help me up" she groaned as he helped her limp to the entrance of the tent. The storm had been threatening to start with thunder and lightning. "I'd rather you rest" Lorne said worried, Riley leaned in close to him.

"I'd rather have my way with you" Riley whispered with a cheeky smile. "But since we both aren't going to get what we want well…"

"ZPM it is" Lorne finished smothered a smile and helped her over to where Ronon and Sheppard stood around the Dais with an angry McKay he kept punching the screen of his computer.

"You know the secret code yet?" Sheppard asked in jest.

"I've only looked at it for less than 5 minutes I'm a genius yes but some things take time" McKay snapped, he looked at Ronon who seemed to be stifling a smile at knowing he was getting under McKay's skin. "It would go faster if the storm wasn't interfering with my computer as well" McKay added, a clap of thunder sounded.

"I know it" Riley said holding up a hand, the three all looked at her

"Really?" Sheppard asked

"Yeah I do, I'd like to get it out before it rains, I washed my hair last night I don't want it to get ruined" Riley replied plain faced, Sheppard chuckled as he pulled a twig out of her hair.

"Yeah because it's so pristine right now" he said, Riley laughed and winced in pain.

"Do you want the ZPM or not?" she asked, Lorne readjusted his arm around her waist and pulled her up straighter as she placed a hand on the Dais to support some of her weight.

"McKay you mind?" Sheppard asked

"Go ahead" McKay said standing back. Riley pushed in the stones, in sequence as to how she had translated and figured out. The centre circle spun to the left and the right before rising exposing the ZPM.

"Hey look at that" Sheppard cheered.

Riley pulled the ZPM out and handed it to McKay who obviously forgot that she had already been looking at the dais longer than him.

"Here you go and don't ever say that I don't get you anything" Riley joked.

Just as she finished the sentence the sky seemed to open up and rain fell down hard. Lorne picked Riley up in his arms and carried her back into the tent Kemp was. He set her down. The tent soon became crowded when Ronon, Sheppard, and McKay joined them.

SGASGASGASGA

The storm raged outside, lightning lit up the tent every now and then followed by loud and sometimes deafening thunder. The tent was leaning to onside slightly from the wind and the rain pelted the tent non-stop for the last 30 minutes. It made no signs of letting up anytime soon.

"Well Ancient tech is dead" McKay stated holding the detector up "and my computer" They were all sitting in a make shift Campfire circle around Kemp.

Lorne had Riley between his legs, as she lay back against his chest, her shot leg was elevated on top of Sheppard's outstretched legs. The tent was definitely cramped.

Wrapped up in a blanket, Riley had fallen asleep about 10 minutes after they all had become settled. He hung an arm round her waist to keep her in place and so he could feel her breathing which was slow and steady. She had slept soundlessly through McKay's ranting and the conversation going on around her. She even stopped shivering which was a good sign.

He remember his field medic training for concussions let the patient rest but wake them every 15 minutes for the first two hours and assess their state and keep their head cool. He reminded himself she had 5 minutes, before he'd wake her, he raised a hand and checked her temperature.

"Will the Daedalus be able to call us with the storm raging?" Lorne asked

"Sure, but they won't be able to beam us out since our Subcutaneous transmitters are electrical and probably not working" McKay replied tartly, it was obvious McKay was not into camping it or roughing it even for an hour. Lorne kind of wished he was in the other tent with his team at least they'd be joking about the bad weather and making the mood light.

"But we are the only life signs I'm sure they'll be able to lock onto that right?" Sheppard asked.

"Maybe, I don't know" McKay answered "bright side we can collect the Stargate for the intergalactic gate bridge" everyone groaned "What it's important" McKay justified

"We know, McKay" Sheppard said

"Yes, you have told us many times" Teyla added

"Many, try every mission for the past 2 months" Ronon stated

"And every meeting" Lorne added

"Well sorry for being excited by the notion of being able to get to go to Earth and return without 3 weeks on the Daedalus"

"What are you all yammering about?" Riley asked waking up,

"Intergalatic gate bridge" McKay said

"Oh that"

"What do you mean 'Oh that'?"

"Well don't get me wrong but I really couldn't care less about the space bridge whatever" Riley said she shifted her bummed leg and winced as she settled back against Lorne.

Sheppard chuckled "Yeah we all know the speech" he agreed.

"Intergalactic Gate Bridge" McKay corrected "How can you not care?"

"Easily" Riley answered blandly, everyone laughed at Riley's obtuse response except for McKay she turned her head and looked at Lorne "You going to pinch me now?" she asked she wore a drowsy smile.

"No, why?" he asked innocently

"AVPU test, we are up to P for pain response which you already know" she said eyeing him.

"I think we can skip that don't you?" he said, Riley rested her head back onto his shoulder. She gave a sigh of contentment "Good, How's Kemp?"

Teyla took a moment "He is stable, and has been resting" she said, Riley nodded and yawned "How far away is the Daedalus?"

"Roughly 20 minutes" Sheppard said looking at his watch

"Great we get to continue being all cosy" McKay stated

"I'm going back to sleep" Riley said "If you need me"

"I'll order the Major to pinch you" Sheppard said with a smile.

"Charming" Riley said dryly she closed her eyes and wrapped her arms around the one arm Lorne had around her making herself comfortable. She enjoyed the heat of his body, even though she felt completely washed out. It was comforting just what she needed.


	20. Chapter 20

Hours later, Lorne strolled into the Infirmary on Atlantis. He had just been dismissed from a meeting with Sheppard, Caldwell, and Weir. While McKay was ecstatic about getting the new ZPM apparently it was fully charged, meaning Atlantis had a spare ZPM. Weir, Caldwell and Sheppard were all not impressed by the loss of life and the Calen perfect soldier turned traitor. The Daedalus had shown up an hour late and it took some special recalibration of the beaming technology to pluck them all up. T

Lorne noted Cadman sitting on a stool looking at Riley, she was talking in hushed tones to Beckett who seemed to checking Riley's vitals. He slowed as he neared the bed, Riley had been cleaned up and changed into scrubs. He now saw all the damage, stitches on her forehead. Bruises that traced down the side of her face and cheek that were swollen showing in a mixture of angry red and blue on her skin.

Cadman looked over at Lorne "Major" she said, cutting off her conversation with Beckett.

"I was just coming in to see how Callahan and Kemp were faring" he stated, he stood to Riley's side and gently rested his hand on hers. Her arm hand an angry bruise of a hand print formed and her knuckles were all bruised as scratch up how fresh they looked now. He had been so focused on her staying alive now she was back on Atlantis he now noticed the little things.

"Kemp is going to live" Kemp said loudly with dramatic flair, his bed was next to Riley's.

"Kemp has been speaking in third person since he woke up 10 minutes ago" Cadman added

"Aye, he will be fine after a couple weeks of bed rest" Beckett said with a smile "Riley…"

"was asleep" Riley murmured, her eyes fluttered open and found 3 pairs of eyes looking at her. It was slight unnerving, "You know it's kind of creepy having you all look at me" she said, bleary eyed and drowsy. Lorne smiled down at her, as he held her hand.

"How are you feeling?" Beckett asked he pulled out his pen light, he tested her pupil reactions.

"Sore, bruised, hungry…What's the damage?" Riley asked blinking at the bright light of the pen.

"You have 3 broken ribs, and a concussion and stitches I'm sorry but you will be here for a week at least" Beckett advised "By the way Major nice work on the stitches"

"Taught him everything he knows" Riley said

"Really?" Beckett replied surprised.

"No… When can I get out here?" Riley asked, she was not a fan of hospitals or infirmaries especially when she was a patient and not a doctor "Cause I have plans that involve a proper shower, hot food and hours of sleep… possibly a beer"

"You know a beer does sounds good" Kemp said

"You won't be getting beer" Beckett said sternly as he wrote something on Riley's chart.

"Oh come on, I almost died today and you are saying I can't get a beer?" Riley said melodramatically

"Exactly" Beckett said with a warm smile

"I had gorilla style surgery, can I get a beer?" Kemp asked

"No" Beckett replied shaking his head

"Please" Riley begged

"No"

Lorne and Cadman watched as the two continued stirring Beckett not getting involved. Beckett started to ignore them as he checked Kemp's vitals. Not wasting time Kemp and Riley changed tact.

"Beer is like a meal in a bottle, it has carbohydrates, proteins, also a rich source of silicon good for staving off osteoporosis" Riley commented

"Really I had no idea" Kemp said in mock astonishment "So you're telling me that I could save my bones by drinking more beer… Beckett did you know that?"

"No beer" Beckett said plainly.

"No fair" Kemp pouted

"If I was in charge we would be having a cold one right now for therapeutic and medicinal reasons" Riley said with an innocent smile.

"I will sedate you two if you don't stop" Beckett warned,

"Awwh, Carson I'm only trying to stave off Osteoporosis and Alzheimer, as my physician all of these things should concern you" Riley teased,

"Alzheimers as well?" Beckett asked in mock surprise.

"Yep"Riley nodded emphatically

"Aye, well I might look it all up in my wee computer and check my medical journals before administering 10cc's of Beer" Beckett said sarcastically

"Are you being sarcastic, it's so hard to tell with the Scottish burl" Kemp joked, Beckett shook his head as Riley smiled she yawned. Beckett turned to Cadman and Lorne ignoring Kemp and Riley.

"You both have 10 minutes, they need to rest" He said he directed his attention to Kemp and Riley "I will be back to check up later" with that he walked off.

Cadman wore an amused smile "You two are evil, poor Beckett" she said as re-took her seat.

Riley shrugged "He'll either cave on the beer or let us go earlier"

"I bet you two days Riley will be out" Kemp said to Cadman, "I on the other hand wouldn't mind a few days of bed rest and sponge baths"

"One day… Riley is good at getting what she wants" Cadman stated

"I'm sure she is" Kemp said with an amused tone.

"Hey, I'm right here" Riley said she gave a sly smile at Lorne "What are your thoughts Major?"

"I'm staying out of it" Lorne replied.

"Diplomatic Major, maybe you should do Beckett a favour and take Riley off his hands" Cadman suggested, Riley made a face at Cadman as a blush graced her pale cheeks.

"Yeah, I could create a distraction. So you two can slip away for a bit of wink, wink, nudge, nudge" Cadman teased Lorne gave her a withering look.

"You are a bit of a stick in the mud for rules sir, how about I draw the curtain so you two can have some alone time?" Cadman offered

"Yes, le amour isn't it beautiful Cadman we should avert our eyes so the shy lovebirds can say goodbye properly… I recommend we count to 30… NOW!" Kemp said he held up his hands and covered his eyes, Cadman covered her face too. They started to count in unison aloud.

"How old are you guys?" Riley said to Cadman and Kemp, who continued to count out loud they were up to '10'.

Lorne leaned over taking advantage of their relative privacy, he kissed her tenderly at first and then it turned passionate when he pulled back he left her breathless and her face slightly flushed. He whispered in her ear "I'll be back tomorrow, sleep well" he then kissed her just behind the ear.

Cadman and Kemp were at '25' Lorne kissed her inner wrist and then left the infirmary.

"30" The two lowered their hands slowly, looking wary at the two.

"You two are so hilarious" Riley said sarcastically, Cadman and Kemp had child like grins on their faces.

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_Riley sat at her desk looking over the translations of the dais all the photos laid on the desk. "Still hung up on the Dais?" Riley looked up and saw Calen leaning against the door frame. _

"_Yeah I think I missed something" She replied as she played with the corner of one of the photos "So what can I do for you?" she asked_

_Calen stepped forward and picked up a photo "You can run" he said as he picked up a photo and studied it._

"_Excuse me?" Riley said with a smile confused _

"_I said you can run, I actually recommend you do it unless you want to die" he said casually he placed the photo back on the desk and turned to her. Riley felt a cold chill go down her spine, she stood up from her desk "I think you should leave Calen… now" she said firmly. Calen gave her a smirk. Then shook his head and walked around the desk so he was standing in front of her without any obstacles._

"_Riles, I told you to run" he said, looking down at her_

"_And I told you to leave" Riley spat back at him, in response he grabbed her by the neck and swang her off her feet and slammed her into the wall. He held her by the neck raising her up so her feet were nowhere near the ground. She couldn't breathe, couldn't scream. She flailed in Calen's grasp trying vainly to stop him as he choked her. _

Riley jerked awake and found herself on the floor beside her bed, drenched in sweat, panting trying to catch her breath, heart racing. She looked around her quarters "It was just a dream" she told herself as her heart slowed down "It was just a dream". She looked at the clock on the bedside table it read 3am and sighed. She gripped the side of the bed and picked herself up and back into bed. She groaned from the pain that shot through her leg.

It was the same dream for the last 5 nights, Beckett had been more stubborn in keeping her in the infirmary but last night had finally caved letting her go.

She lay back looking at the ceiling, it was so quiet except for the usual humming noise that was uniquely Atlantis. She closed eyes and felt her heart quicken, panic rising. She felt that she was being watched she opened her eyes and waved a hand over the sensor and the lights came on. The room was empty but her heart still did flip flops. Riley sighed tossing the covers off her she realized she wasn't going to get any more sleep, she couldn't relax. Riley got up out of bed and grabbed the cane Beckett had given her.

She felt decrepit using it but she could get to places faster and it was less hassle than crutches. She went to the bathroom and washed her face before getting changed and headed out.


	21. Chapter 21

"Anyone sitting here?"

Riley snapped out of her reverie and looked up Laura gestured to the empty seat in front of her. She smiled "By all means" she said she looked around and noticed the mess had started to fill up and breakfast was being served.

"What are you doing up so early?" Riley asked

"On duty in 30 minutes" Laura said between bites "You look awful did you get any sleep last night?"

"Yeah couple of hours" Riley replied, she stole Laura's hash brown and pulled it apart and started to eat it.

Laura looked concerned "You ok?"

"I'm fine, just a nightmare. Couldn't get back to sleep"

"Want to talk about it?"

"Not really"

"Ok, well today the Daedalus is going shopping for Stargates so yours truly will be gone for three days or so"

"What are the Stargates for?"

"Hello? where have you been for the last two months… the intergalactic gate bridge ring a bell?"

"Oh yeh, the McKay Carter ra ra we can get to go to Earth all the time thing… yeah I remember" Riley said "By the way I've only been here for a month"

Laura shook her head and laughed "Whatever…anyway we just need ten more gates and then viola the bridge will be ready for a test flight"

"Yeah, I'm so excited" Riley said her tone was of boredom.

"I knew you would be, speaking of excitement when I get back Girls night?" Cadman suggested

"Definitely" Riley said with a warm smile

SGASGASGASGASGASGA

Lorne had gone to the infirmary to find that Beckett had realised Riley after 5 days of her wanting out he thought of where she'd go first after going to her quarters, the mess, he finally found her in her office. He watched Riley looking at reports and writing notes.

He had visited her everyday she was in the infirmary. He was worried about her, she seemed to the outside observer to be unaffected by what had happened on the planet. Brushing it off like it was normal, but he knew it was just a façade. She was more tired in the last few days than she had been previous he found the more tired she became the more difficulty she had hiding her emotions. He could see the hurt and pain and sometimes panic. She needed time to process something he figured she liked to do without an audience. Something told him she didn't like being seen as damaged or hurt.

Calen had been locked up in one of Atlantis's Cells. He wasn't a very co-operative prisoner. But then he again he was only hearing about it third party through Sheppard. The IOA and the SGC had decided that Calen was to be sent back to Earth since Atlantis had more pressing agendas to meet such as collecting Stargates for the Intergalactic space bridge that the base had been working on the past few months.

He knocked on the door to get her attention, Riley jumped slightly and smiled "Hey" she said warmly

"Hey yourself" he said standing at the door "I finished my shift and thought I'd visit you in the infirmary only to find you were discharged"

"Yeah Beckett caved" Riley replied, she held up a cane "He gave me this and some pain killers and sent me on my way"

"Shouldn't you be resting?" he asked

"I slept for a couple of hours" Riley lied, he could see the signs of fatigue written on her face. Lorne closed the door and walked over to her and pulled her up from her chair into his arms. She took a deep breath and relaxed in his embrace.

"How about I walk you to your quarters?" Lorne offered

"I need to finish my work" she said looking down as she played with the buttons of his shirt.

"It can wait, you need to sleep" Lorne said looking down at her, he lifted her face upwards, he saw fear flicker through for the briefest moment, he wondered what she was afraid of as she shook her head "I'm fine I'm use to surviving on little sleep" she said.

"Riley, you know you can talk to me about anything" Lorne said, he was concerned.

"Yeah I know and I'm fine, I've just got a lot of work stacked up" Riley lied, she had caught up with all of the work that had piled up and was actually ahead.

"You work too much" Lorne said before he kissed her. It was gentle at first, but soon he wrapped his arms tighter around her and pulled her against him and pressed his mouth hard against hers with need.

She gave a moan of pleasure as she ran her hands up his sides and down his back. It was the first time they were alone and they were both taking advantage, he was mindful of her injuries and tried to rein some control but Riley was making it hard for him to think. He lifted Riley up, she instinctively wrapped her legs around his waist. Her thigh protested the movement and Riley gasped breaking the kiss.

"You alright? Did I hurt you?" Lorne asked his voice filled with concern yet his eyes were still dark with desire they were both very aroused.

"Yes and No, I just forgot about my stitches for a moment" Riley said breathless. Lorne placed her so she was sitting on the desk, with her legs still wrapped around him.

"Are you going to let me look?" he asked raising an eyebrow with a saucy smile.

"Depends are you going to finish taking advantage of me?" She replied playfully her arms wrapped around his neck. He kissed her deeply and pulled back "Definitely" he promised.

Riley reluctantly let go and unwrapped herself from him, he had barely stepped back when Sheppard's voice called through his ear piece.

"Major Lorne Respond"

Lorne silently groaned before tapped his ear piece "Lorne here" Riley tugged his shirt pulling him back to her, She kissed the base of his neck and trailed hot kisses up to his ear and nibbled his ear.

"Major I know you got off shift but we need to talk my office" Sheppard said

"Right now?" Lorne asked completely turned on more so than before.

"Yes" Sheppard said

"Ok I'll be there in 10, Lorne out" he said, he looked down at Riley "Raincheck? I got orders"

"Yep raincheck" Riley nodded,

He pulled her into another deep kiss, then pulled back and kissed her quickly again.

"You better go" she said wistfully as he let go of her, stepping back he turned to leave. Riley took the opportunity to pinch his ass and gave him a wicked grin.

"I'll get you for that" he said before he left. Riley laughed and re took her seat at the desk and continued to occupy her thoughts. She exhaled and picked up a piece of paper and fanned herself with it.

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"I hope I didn't interrupt anything" Sheppard said when Lorne sat down in the guest chair of Sheppard's office. Lorne bit his tongue, he knew Sheppard was baiting him "Anyway Calen has thrown a curve ball, says he'll talk if he talks to Callahan" Sheppard said.

"What could he have to say to her?" Lorne asked making himself comfortable, something told him this would be a long conversation.

"I asked him that… he believes she has political strings that can get him the deal worthy of his Intel" Sheppard stated "So he'll deal but only with Callahan"

"What are your thoughts?" Lorne asked diplomatically, on the inside he wanted to strangle Calen for what he had done.

"I think he's just toying with us… but if Riley can get him to talk it's worth a try"

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Riley limped into the conference room and sat down on the chair in between Sheppard and Lorne "You two fighting?" Riley asked with an amused smile. Lorne was reading a report and looked up, he didn't answer just smiled.

"No" Sheppard replied petulantly, he smiled so she knew he was only joking he leaned on the table with his elbows.

"I thought you might like to sit next to -Ow" Sheppard's face screwed up in pain, Riley gave him an innocent look of concern as she crossed her feet under the table.

"Sorry did I get your foot?" she asked in mock innocence

"Yeah, what are you wearing stilettos?" he asked, Lorne smothered a laugh, a few more department heads came into the room taking their seats.

"Actually I'm wearing flats I accidently got you with my cane" Riley replied "You were saying?"

"Nothing apparently, how are you?" he asked changing tact, Weir had commented Callahan had been putting in a lot of hours, when he had asked her for a third opinion about asking Callahan to talk to Calen. Weir had voiced concerns but ultimately took the diplomatic road as Lorne had.

It was just a matter of asking, she looked like she could use a good solid 8 hours of sleep as he noted the dark circles under eyes, she was still very pale but she had gotten some colour back. Otherwise she seemed to be in for nominal shape for someone who'd been run around the forest and shot in the leg.

"I'm fine, why does everyone keep on asking me that with the scared look in their eyes?" Riley asked

"Because they fear your wrath now you are armed with that cane" Sheppard offered wincing slightly. Dr Weir was the last to come into the room and took the head chair of the conference table.

"Morning Everyone" She said with a warm smile. She opened her file and began to read out the agenda.

Riley zoned out for most of the meeting, but then she didn't have much to say since 90% was about the Intergalactic gate bridge. She understood why all of the expedition was excited about getting it finished. It meant they could go back to earth and since a lot of them had signed up never knowing if they'd ever get home ever again it was understandable they were excited.

She on the other hand didn't really care, she was content to live out the rest of her days on Atlantis it had become her home. She loved this city, Atlantis was home more than any place on Earth had ever been. She liked the atmosphere, the people she worked with even though she didn't get along with some of them as well as others. But she did know one thing she was madly love Lorne, she couldn't pinpoint when she had realized she was in love with him but it had happened. She wanted to be where ever he was. A sentiment she would have kicked herself a year for having, but now felt right.

She wished they had finished what they had started in her office early that morning but he'd been pulled away by Sheppard. She wasn't sexually frustrated okay maybe a little... She may have broken ribs and some stitches to worry about pulling but she knew it would be definitely worth it. She bit her bottom lip and felt the corner of her mouth kick up in a smile at the thought and squashed it. _Now is not the time to be thinking about that…_ Riley silently chastised herself.

Riley brought her attention back to the meeting McKay was talking about he had finished writing the macro and they just needed the last three gates to complete the network which the Daedalus were putting into place. People started to applaud Riley joined in before zoning out again the meeting progressed and soon finished "Well all excellent news, on another note the Weapons Proficiency test is now mandatory even if you and your staff are not going off world you still need to complete the test and that's it" Weir closed her folder as everyone started to move.

Sheppard swivelled to Riley "Callahan can I have a word?"

"You can have two" Riley said with a sarcastic smile.

"Calen wants to deal, but won't deal with anyone except for you"

Lorne watched her features, fear flashed across her face for a second but was quickly replaced by an expression of contemplation. If he hadn't been watching her so closely he would have missed it he understood why she made an excellent poker player. "Why me?" she asked

"Says of your political connections" Sheppard answered he exchanged a look of concern with Lorne.

Riley nodded "figures" she exhaled shakily "I'll do it, but only now I want to get it over with" she pushed back her chair and picked up her cane "We going to go?" she prompted


	22. Chapter 22

Riley didn't know why she agreed to see Calen, she felt jittery, faint, sick to her stomach. Her heart was thumping erratically she couldn't stop her hands from shaking. Why couldn't she control herself, she hoped her exterior was not betraying her inner turmoil. The three of them stood outside the cell room.

"You don't have to do this" Sheppard said, Riley had gone two shades paler since they all stepped off the transporter. He was beginning to think this was a bad idea, he didn't think Riley could go any paler. But he also didn't think anything Calen had to say was worth traumatising Riley. He could tell Calen was now a demon to her when she hesitated walking into the room. She probably thought she was putting up a good show but she gripped her cane her knuckles were white from squeezing so tightly.

"I can do this… You two will be in there right?" she asked

"Right beside you the whole time" Lorne assured her, she took a deep breath and rolled her shoulders back and walked into the Cell room.

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Her footsteps echoed in the room which got Calen's attention, he sat up from where he was lying in the cell and saw Riley standing in the Atlantis uniform the jacket was open revealing a black tank top. She was very pale and had a nice bruise on her face along with stitches on her forehead. "Walking cane? Aren't you a bit young for that?" Calen teased standing up, he winced from his own injuries.

"Just practicing" Riley replied. He could sense her fear, it was delicious change from her usual steel of character. He noted the shake in her arm that was holding the cane. "So you want to deal?" Riley asked her voice never wavered but her body betrayed her. He looked at Sheppard and Lorne who were standing at the back just watching quietly.

Calen smiled and turned his sights back on Riley "Yes, I want you…" he drawled, Riley twitched "To use your connections, I want a get out of jail free card"

"Why would I waste my breath trying to save you?" she asked uncaringly.

"Because we are old friends" he stated he stood as close to the bars as he could and stare her down. To make her nervous, that way he could play her into doing what he wanted.

"You tried to kill me"

"I wanted to make some extra money, retire rich and young… don't take it so personally"

"Don't take it personally…" Riley said as she looked away shaking her head in disbelief.

"You lived and you are free, have a little sympathy I'm behind bars"

"Where you belong…what happened to you Calen? Why did you turn out so bad?"

"I could ask the same… why aren't you a doctor? What happened there?" Calen asked

"You first" Riley said, Calen knew full well she wasn't going to tell him and amusing as he might find it to push her buttons. He needed her to be on his side and help him out and Riley was pragmatic that could work to his advantage.

"Well I could give you the whole heart and sob buts let's just say 6 months in a POW camp is a real eye opener and I don't want to go back to being a prisoner ever again" Calen explained plainly.

"You should have thought of that before you killed Hale and Kent… because nothing you could say is worth your freedom"

"Are you sure?" he asked, he must have read her wrong, she looked like she was going to fall apart at any moment yet her tone spoke volumes that she didn't care one fig about what he might have to say.

"**Yep.. so here it is your one time offer only :No death penalty relocation to a nice prison" Riley said laying her deal on the proverbial table. "But if you give information that is useless then I'll make sure they find you a nice cosy piece of floor** **Kwan-li-so camp 22 … dangsin-ui hangug-eo gajyo?… or** Fortaleza de San Carlos de la Cabaña**? I hear Cuba is really nice this time of year…though I'm sure those two places would pale in comparison to a POW camp"**

Calen hit the bars getting a jolt of electricity from the force field he jumped back and hissed "You haven't got it in you to do that"

"Or maybe Gitarama Prison in Rwanda I hear overpopulation is a big problem for them and the inmates get so hungry they eat one another to survive" Riley said ignoring his last comment "And that's just the start of the list…"

"You are bluffing" Calen sneered, he tried to cover the fact he was scared at the thoughts of those hell holes.

"Try me"

They had both changed in their 4 years of no communication, when he knew Riley she was happy go lucky, but pragmatic she always helped out whenever she could. She held no judgements of people, she cared about people even when she was taking the piss out of him he could tell she thought they were friends and if it came down to the crunch she'd help him. The woman who stood in front of him was not the same just as he was not the same, she was cold and indifferent… Callous… words he would never associate with her.

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Lorne watched and admired Riley he hadn't seen this side of her as of yet. It was chilling the way she stood there and told Calen what for. She seemed to be able to shut down her emotions and do what was required of her, he recognised it well as lot of people in the military used this coping technique.

Calen must have not known this side of Riley, because he seemed the most surprised he stood at the bars glaring at Riley yet pleading with her to help him out.

"You murdered two men in cold blood for your own selfish greedy reasons… you are murderer, a traitor. I have no sympathy for you... But Sheppard he wants me to cut a deal" Riley said in a serious and calm tone.

"And if you deem my information useful?" Calen asked,

"Have you heard of the Pensacola Federal Prison? I'm told it's like a spa resort for convicted felons…" Riley said "Tell Sheppard everything now, because when I walk out this door, the deal expires and then who knows what your future will entail at least with my deal you get a choice… spa resort or Gitarama… your choice"

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Riley stepped back and leaned against the wall, she wanted to leave the room and never lay eyes on Calen again. She could still feel his hand wrapped around her neck, though it never happened the fear still curled in her. Years of practise had taught her how to detach herself from her personal feelings so she could get the job done but right now it was a definite struggle. As Calen stood there and told Sheppard and Lorne everything he knew, Riley looked at the floor and waited. Her heart was still thumping nervously she tried not to fidget and stay still. The urge to be sick was overpowering but she stayed completely still taking slow breaths.

After what seemed like an hour, Lorne touched her arm. She looked up "Let's go" he said, he gestured they leave, Riley nodded thankful to get out of there.

"Remember you promised Riley" Calen said as she walked away "Don't make me regret not killing you!" he shouted. As soon as they turned the corner out of Calen's sight Riley felt like she was going to pass out as the hallway did a 180. Riley stopped and placed a hand on the wall. She exhaled slowly "Riley?" Lorne prompted he touched her arm voice filled with concern.

"The hallway is doing a 180" Riley said she placed her other hand on her forehead, letting her cane clattered to the floor. "No make that 360" Riley corrected she swallowed her nausea.

Lorne wasted no time and scooped her up into his arm "Hey what are you doing?" she asked

"Taking you to the infirmary" He answered as he carried her down the hall

"It's not necessary it's just my concussion… and I'm quite capable of walking" Riley said, Lorne shook his head and kept walking.

"Nope, I'm not taking my chances"

Ten minutes later, Riley sat on the bed as Beckett looked at her brain scan, he turned back to her and flashed the pen light in her eyes checking her pupil dilations. He felt her glands and then smiled. Lorne stood to the side with his arms folded concerned.

"I fine, it was a momentary lapse" Riley droned she didn't want Beckett to keep her in just because she felt woozy. Especially when she expected it she just didn't expect them to be so frequent but she had only gotten less than 4 hours sleep last night not that she was going to share that with Beckett. He'd probably pull out the restraints.

"I see you haven't been taking it easy lass" Beckett commented

"I have so" Riley said childishly "I have been sitting down all day and only went to the afternoon meeting… I haven't gone running or done anything too stressful or over exerting" Riley said the sentence _unless you count visiting someone who tried to kill you and you having nightmares constantly about him trying to kill you as stressful…_ she added in her head.

"Right" Beckett said not believing her, "Well, come and see me after you have a solid 8 hrs of sleep… not rest…" he went and pulled a small medicine bottle out of the cabinet and was about to hand it Riley but thought better and handed it to Lorne instead.

"I assume you'll take responsibility for Miss Callahan since she seems incapable of taking care of herself" Beckett said, Riley pulled a face and opened her mouth to say something when Beckett continued "Make sure she makes it back to her quarters and takes two tablets with water… knock her out for a few needed winks"

"Ok" Lorne said amused that Beckett was giving him instruction about Riley. "anything else?" he asked

Beckett shook his head "No, She's all yours"

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Lorne knocked on Sheppard's door, he waved him in "How's Callahan?" Sheppard asked as Lorne took his usual seat in the guest chair.

"Alright, Doc gave her some stuff to knock her out" Lorne said, it was true he had carried her to her quarters much to her own stubbornness, he found it amusing as she seemed embarrassed to be carried.

He had laid her down and tucked her into her bed and given her two of the tablets. She fell asleep immediately and after 5 minutes of watching her sleep, he realised he wouldn't be able to get into her quarters if he left her. So he picked her up and relocated her to his own quarters. She hadn't even woken for a second as he placed her in his bed.

He liked the way she looked so beautiful, peaceful and without a care in the world written on her face. He watched her for another 10 minutes as she snuggled deeper into in his bed with a smile across her face. When he was comfortable she wasn't going to wake up anytime soon, he left a note about where he was going next to a glass of water.

"I'd say she'll be dead to the world for awhile" Lorne added

"Yeah she does sleep like a rock" Sheppard commented "I was worried about her being in the room with Calen but wow she plays a mean dealer" Sheppard said as he looked at all the notes he'd written on the Intel Calen had given them.

"Yeah, she did… it was quite impressive" Lorne commented "Any of the Intel good?"

"Too early to say, Atlantis is clean apparently" Sheppard said tossing the folder on the desk Lorne picked it up and started to flick through it.

It was shocking the information about moles in SGC and IOA network. Corporations wanting to buy technology to boost their value on the stock market, all laid out. Whether any of it was the truth remained to be seen.

Sheppard was just relieved that there weren't any more 'Calens' hiding in the ranks. He didn't want to lose any more people, Caldwell had said he'd go back to the planet and pick up the remains of Kent and Hale so their bodies could be sent home to their families for a proper burial.

"All I can say is this sucks… at least in a few more days I'll be doing the test run for the Intergalactic Bridge, you want anything?" Sheppard asked "Pizza?"

TBC

**Author's Note: Oh yeah! I'm still not done but don't worry I already have an ending in sight and I've placed my story into the SGA timeline… I don't know if I said it earlier but thank you to all my reviewers! I really appreciate because I find I miss things that some of you pick up and suddenly I have this "How did I not see that!" moment and it all becomes clear **** A special thanks to Tholey for picking up the Fight scene you have no idea how long I just read over and over that not knowing why it wasn't gelling in brain… I hope after my exams I'll be able to go back and fix it up! **


	23. Chapter 23

**Author's Note: Just wanted to say when I was writing this chapter I was thinking how can she do so much while injured well for the sleeping in any of those positions, let me say from personal experience I have broken 3 ribs from exiting a schnapps factory (a funny and true story for another time) and I was able to sleep on my stomach, and back… it's when you try to sleep on your side they cause you grief… lol you can do a lot of energetic things you just need to lie down more often…and for the limping well I haven't been shot in the leg and touch wood I never get shot, but I have dislocated my knee and that was not fun but I was able to limp all over the place and go up and down stairs sans crutches though it was freaking painful! Anyways wow I sound alittle accident prone ENJOY as ALWAYS! And apologies for a long author's note!**

When Lorne returned to his quarters he relaxed to find Riley still sound asleep in his bed. She had tossed and turned evident from the twisted sheets, he moved soundlessly towards the bed not wanting to wake her, he looked down at her and noted how stressed and panicked she looked. She was covered in sheen of sweat her head moved from side to side as her breathing was erratic.

"No" She whimpered, he sat on the edge of the bed and placed a hand on her forehead feeling her temperature she jerked upright and smacked his arm away. She tried to throw a punch but was slow and sluggish he easily blocked it and caught her in his arms before she fell out the bed.

"Whoa I got you" He said, he wrapped her up in his arms "It's ok, it's me," he soothed the lights came on in the room. Having the ancient gene had its perks, He brushed the hair out of her face she looked up at him he could see the mixture of fear, and disorientation.

"Lorne" Riley breathed, her bleary eyes focused on his face for a second before they closed.

"You're ok just a nightmare" Lorne said he could still feel her heart thumping but her breathing slowly evened out.

"Tell me about it… I just wish they'd stop" Riley slurred, she rubbed her eyes.

"Come here" he pulled her in tighter and kissed the top of her head. "You want to talk about it?" Riley shook her head as her heart started pounding again as the images flashed in her mind.

Lorne rubbed a soothing hand on her back it seemed to calm her down again he didn't know what to say. But was glad he was here when she woke up.

"It's ok," Lorne said

"What's the time?"

"11pm"

She groaned "I need a shower"

"How do you manage to shower with your leg?" he asked thinking of how she'd managed since leaving the infirmary.

"I stuck my leg outside the shower it's very easy" she said simply like it was an easy thing to do.

He had no doubt she was telling the truth about holding her leg outside the shower, but not about it being easy it would have been difficult and a funny sight.

"Well I have a better idea, you just stay here" he said, he gently laid her down on the bed and went into the bathroom.

Riley closed her eyes briefly, she felt so groggy from the sedatives, and Lorne was back next to her side in what seemed like a flash. He had a bowl with water and small towel.

"I assure you I'm quite capable of showering" Riley said she didn't want to be treated as an invalid, she rose up and then fell back, she was too weak to move, _Damn Carson and his drugs_ she thought as she cursed her limbs that seemed to be not complying with her wishes.

"Well you are in my care so as I see it, I can do whatever I want" Lorne said plainly, he stripped her of her clothing leaving her in her underwear lying on his bed.

"Explains why this is not where I remember falling asleep" Riley said as she glanced around the room noting the easel and art supplies set up in the corner and the painting hanging on the wall.

She sat up with Lorne's help, she winced as her ribs complained the movement her leg seemed to be in on the party. Once she was settled he turned and picked up the small towel and wringed it out.

"Yeah I don't have access to your quarters" Lorne said as she let him drag the soft cloth down her arms, she was capable of doing it but there was something sensual about watching him do it. The gentle care he took, stole her breath this was not like any sponge bath she had had before.

"Likely excuse you just wanted me near naked in your bed" Riley said slyly, he chuckled as pressed the cool cloth to her throat she closed her and sighed.

He couldn't believe the damage she had taken and was able to still joke about. He knew she had broken ribs and what not but just seeing the bruises that marred her made him want to beat the crap out of Calen even more.

He had imagined her naked in his mind many times but seeing it in the flesh was something else. His eye for detail picked up things he hadn't noticed before and thing that had been covered up. She had scars on her right hand and a few up her arm, two gunshot wounds long since healed on her abdomen. She had random scars here and there and freckles on her knees. What people called imperfections or flaws he called trademarks of a life well lived, they were what made a person different and showed how they lived.

He moved to the back of the bed and lifted her left leg, pulling Riley gently so she was lying on her back. He began massaging her left foot, the corner of her mouth kicked up in a small smile of pleasure "hmmm that feels heavenly" she purred. She didn't mind the fact that his hands were started to wonder down her ankle to her knee then slowly up her thigh not so much massaging anymore but stroking. She her body thrummed with pleasure at every touch she bit her lip trying to not moan. His hands sent shivers down her spine. She wanted more.

Lorne stopped, Riley opened her eyes "Don't stop" she heard herself plead, she was enjoying this special treatment it had been years since a guy had rubbed her up or anything like this.

Lorne looked at her with a wicked smile, she was about to say something when he kissed her toes, he then scorched his mark with his tongue slowly down her foot, ankle, knee and down her thigh. Riley lost all ability to think, breathe anything she felt her body light up. She had never felt as aroused as she did know in her whole life. He finished his long stroke at her neck and then covered her lips with his kissed her captivating her in a ravenous kiss.

He broke the kiss, "How you going?" he asked, her eyes were clouded with desire her heart beat was rapid she caught her breath.

"Still alive, barely" she breathed "I want more" she said snaking her arms around him she desperately wanted him to be as naked as she was. She pulled his shirt off and tossed it to the side and ran her hands up his chest and then slid her fingers along his jaw then into his hair before bringing her mouth to his kissing him hungrily.

Riley was ravenous and passionate he matched her but with a bit of restraint in the 30 seconds he'd stripped her clothes off he knew exactly what he wanted to do to her, he propped himself on his arms so his weight didn't crush her and moved his tongue down her neck before kissed her at the base of her jaw he could feel her pulse beating wildly, as she wrapped her left leg around him pulling him down. He groaned in pleasure at the skin to skin contact.

He continued to nuzzle her neck as she moaned, her breath hitched and he pulled himself up afraid he may have hurt her. "We really should stop" he cautioned, with the meagre restraint he had left. He looked down at her

"Evan, I will kill you if you stop" Riley breathed

Hearing her say his name undid any restraint he had left he kissed her slow, deep and with raw emotion he never felt before.


	24. Chapter 24

**Author's note.. just thought I'd let everyone's imaginations take them through what happened I'm not very good at the writing actions of what is going on in my head.. and I'll try and improve so bear with my shocking writing and Enjoy..lol... Sorry!**

Lorne awoke as he always did years of Military life had drilled out any ability to sleep past 5 am only time he did sleep past 5am was when he was ill which was very rare. The morning light splayed into the room he looked down at Riley who was peacefully asleep on her stomach, how she managed such an act with broken ribs astounded him.

Last night played through his mind, he was completely undone by her, Riley was perfection to him. Everything about her felt right, more than right. He could imagine spending the rest of his days like this. He traced his hand down her back to her tattoo and traced it slowly. Riley stirred and moved into his arms and rested her head on his chest. She had that same peaceful look he had seen when he first seen her sleep.

"Love you" she mumbled. He gazed down at her, she was asleep of course and not responsible for her words but he liked the sound of them just the same.

He brushed a strand of her hair out of her face and smiled, he could definitely miss his run this morning. He turned her palm up and traced the fine lines of scars on her hand. They were precision lines surgical in nature, he had noticed it before but didn't ask the same with the bullet wounds there was time to ask these questions later.

Riley stirred "Mmm that tickles" she murmured as she flexed her hand. She rolled onto her back, Lorne propped his head on his elbow and looked down at her.

"Morning" she said with a groggy smile,

"Morning" he said, he leaned down and kissed her and then moved down her neck nibbling.

"Mmm I like that" she said she stretched her arms above her head "How you going?"

"Hungry" he said,

She raised an eyebrow "hmmm for what are you hungry Major?"

"You"

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Lorne moved to the side of her, each of them sweaty and breathing hard _Oh he is too good for me,_ she thought biting her lip thinking about the decadent experience he'd given her.

Riley laid on her back, she was sated to her bones yet always hungry for more he was addictive. She felt Lorne's calloused warm hand rest on her hip. "I think you have killed me" Lorne said between breaths.

Riley turned to face him and gave him a saucy smile and licked her lips, she would have moved but she was so exhausted she needed a minute to recoup. The morning light filled the room and Lorne had just loved her twice.

"Me? You're the one who started it" she said, "With your sponge bath" she teased, he gave a laugh.

He moved up onto his side and loomed over her, his eyes were dark, hot and filled with tenderness. "Well maybe if you didn't look so damn good…" he drawled "It's very distracting having you lying here naked"

Riley pulled the sheet and wrapped over her body like a toga. "This help?"

"Not really" he said with a wolfish grin, he looked over at the clock he had an hour before he had to be on shift. Riley chuckled and closed her eyes and sighed contently beside him.

"How did it happen?" Lorne asked, Riley opened one of her eyes,

"How did what happen?" she asked,

"Your hand" Lorne said "The scars"

Riley's features became dark he felt like he'd asked the wrong question but he wanted to know the answer. She played the edge of the sheet that was wrapped around her.

"I don't remember… I remember playing poker and cleaning up the pot and then I woke up in hospital in Germany, hand a mess told I'd never be able to do a lot of things again and missing two days of memory" Riley paused and then she held her hand up and looked at the scars and started to mark out the injuries.

"four metacarpals, and 3 joints replaced by prosthesis and titanium it took over 12 months of rehab to recover not including the other gaggle of injuries" Riley smiled sardonically. "It's funny because they gave me some medal but I don't even know why… well they told me that I helped dragged two marines out of harm and was going back for the last wounded marine who was pinned down. Apparently a missile hit a nearby building that collapsed into the building near to where I was and somehow I miraculously came out the other end uninjured sort of with the two guys"

She racked her mind many times trying to remember and there were flashes of random memories but nothing concrete for her to trust what she was told. Nothing to change what had happened it just haunted her that she couldn't connect the dots, she hated she didn't know the whole truth and that no one could tell her exactly to a point where she believed what happened.

"I was sent home but found out that the dramas had only begun… You see Hospitals want to help people they don't like potential lawsuits and high insurance premiums of taking on such an 'undesirable' candidate" her voice was sounded of resentment and rejection. The hurt and the disappointment clear as day. She licked her lips and cleared her throat "So yeah, all ancient history. I tried to get a job I applied everywhere and lots of rejection… so I called the guy who gave me his card and a week later I was in Dubai with work… Kemp was the first time I picked up a scalpel in over 4 years" Riley said, trying to make it sound like it was a piece of cake when the reality was it wasn't but Lorne didn't need to know that.

"It was impressive to watch" Lorne said.

"I seriously thought I was going to hurl" she said with a smile all past darkness gone. Thankful for the topic change.

"You did kind of look a little green but I figured it was the blood loss and kneeling with a shot leg"

"Yeah that was really painful" Riley admitted "Speaking of painful, your hand can we move down 3 inches?" his hand was resting on her ribs

"Sorry, you want me to kiss it better?" he asked he slid his hand lower onto her hip.

"Definitely" Riley said, she pushed him onto his back and straddled him, he laughed

"You're insatiable…I'll kiss it better and more after you tell me about the two slugs to the gut"

"What is this show and tell on scars?" Riley asked, she grazed her teeth on his collarbone nipping him.

"Yeah it is, so spill I want to know everything" he said, looking up at her she leaned back and sighed.

"Well that was like 6 or 7 years ago I got caught in the cross fire nothing too exciting" Riley said with a shrug "Nothing on you Mister Bullet Collector" Riley slowly traced the scars he had on his torso and arms.

"I count at least 8 bullets, five knife wounds, couple of burn marks and a couple of scars I don't think I want to know what weapon was used to make" Riley said "Care to confess your heroic deeds"

"I'm a soldier we have bad luck of getting shot sometimes" he said, Riley raised an eyebrow and pursed her lips and she folded her arms not impressed with the answer. He brushed his hands up her thighs and back down.

"Right and what soldier doesn't wear his vest?" Riley asked she unfolded her arms and touched the bullet scars closest to his heart "These are pretty old, you were lucky this one could have been a kill shot just off by a few centimetres"

Lorne grimaced "When I had my first R&R I was celebrating my 1 year anniversary with my 'then' girlfriend Rachel…We agreed to have dinner at a restaurant, on my way to the place I stopped to pick up a bottle of wine, I was going to propose to her but the store was being held up by some guy with a semi automatic weapon"

"Damn" Riley said in a low voice.

"Yeah being young and an idiot back then I thought I was invincible but I ended up being shot four times, nearly died" Lorne said, he wasn't particularly proud of his conduct, the robber had gotten away and he nearly lost his job in the military.

"Wow" Riley said "Did you end up proposing to the girl?"

"No, she was planning to leave me for some other guy" Lorne said "And the bad guy got away making getting shot kind of worthless but no one else was hurt luckily" he added.

"Ouch" Riley said "Well, My friend Guillermo told me that getting shot is character building, I don't really agree with him I think it just hurts like hell" she shrugged

He smiled at her and rubbed his hands up her thighs again slower she bit her lip and gave him the look of saying she was more than ready "I definitely agree" he murmured.

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After he reluctantly untangled himself from Riley, he forced her take some pain killers_, Doctors did make the worst patients _he thought with a smile_. _He showered and found Riley peacefully fast asleep.

"About time" Sheppard said as Lorne came into his office, he looked at his watch

"I'm on time" Lorne said taking his usual seat

"Oh yeah, I was expecting you to be late" Sheppard said "How's Callahan?… Wait don't tell me" he narrowed his eyes and smiled "fully satisfied with her situation I would expect no less from you Lorne"

Lorne didn't respond except to roll his eyes

"You bite yourself while shaving or is that Callahan marking her territory?" Sheppard added

Lorne reached a hand to his neck and then realised he hadn't seen any marks on his neck and he'd just fell for Sheppard's trap. Sheppard laughed evilly "Mature sir" Lorne said "Real mature"

"I take my fun where I can get it" Sheppard said

"So I take it the test flight went well?" Lorne asked changing the topic.

Riley groaned as the pounding on the door grew louder "RILEY ELSA CALLAHAN" Laura's voice sung out "OPEN THIS DOOR I KNOW YOU ARE IN THERE" she kept pounding.

Riley rolled over and looked at the clock on Lorne's bedside table it read 11am, Lorne was on shift had been since 8am. She smiled dreamily thinking about him and what she'd do to him later in retaliation for making her take the pain killers. Her brain was rolling slowly.

Laura kept pounding the door "I'm coming" Riley called she pulled on the button down shirt she'd been wearing on and off for the last 3 days and her knickers, she hobbled over to the door and waved her hand opening the door. She probably looked like a train wreck but Laura had seen worse.

"Well, Good morning Sunshine" Laura said saucily

"Uhuh" Riley said she looked down and up the hallways no one was around. "Come on in" she said waving her into Lorne's quarters.

"Oh I don't know he's my superior officer if I'm seen in his quarters- whoa!" Riley pulled Laura in before she could finish the sentence.

"Are you ok?" Laura said as she looked Riley up and down, she looked spaced out and her hair was a mess "you have sex hair" she teased. She reached out to touch Riley's hair and was swatted away by Riley.

"I do not…I was asleep and I took pain killers it's bed hair" Riley blushed.

"Uhuh, Sure it is" Laura said not believing Riley she looked around the Major's quarters, noting the paintings and art supplies. "So you've been staying in Lorne's quarters for three days and he slept on the floor and you were able to keep your hands to yourself" Laura said as she helped Riley make the bed and picked up her clothes.

"No you are right, we had heaps and heaps of hot sweaty sex is that what you want to know?" Riley asked she looked spaced she smiled,

"eww" Laura said "I touched your sex sheets"

"Yep, are you happy now? And have you seen my pain killers?" Riley asked

"On the bedside table" Laura said, Riley glossed straight over the place where the drugs were missing them completely. Laura laughed and picked up the bottle "Here"

"Oh I'm a bit zonked out" Riley said giving a small smile taking the bottle from Laura.

"Just a bit?" Laura said chuckling as Riley looked around lost scratching her head. "What did you lose now?" she asked.

"My brain?" Riley joked

"Come on we'll get you in the shower and brush your hair and you'll be as good as new! I have news as well but it can wait" Laura pushed Riley to the door she was like a zombie Laura waved a hand over the sensor and the doors opened up.

SGASGASGASGASGA

After a hot shower, and 3 cups of coffee black as the devil and sweet as sin, Riley dressed in black slacks and grey cotton caftan top, her hair was brushed and pulled to one side, definitely felt more human than she did an hour ago. Though she really should have stayed asleep, she and Beckett were going to have words about her prescription.

"Ok lay this news on me" Riley said, blinking at the how bright the sunlight was in the mess.

"We found Ancients like real bona fide Ancients and they are here on Atlantis in a meeting with the head honchos"

"I thought all the ancients were dead"

"Yeah I know…" Laura said she went into detail about how they had been doing the test flight of the galactic space bridge and apparently McKay found some odd echo on the reading and it turned out to be an ancient warship travelling at sub light speeds the fact that Riley was keeping up with any of this was an amazement and that she actually understood what was being said with space time dilations and malfunctions "So isn't that amazing, now we can learn from them"

"Yep pretty amazing" Riley said

"So tell me… what I have missed in the last few days?"

"Do you really want to know?" Riley asked a smile playing on her face she wriggled her eyebrows

Laura thought for a moment "Yes, but I'm going to picture mentally imagine that it's George Clooney doing nasty things and not the major… So what did Clooney do to you?"

Riley laughed "Well he did this thing with his tongue" she bit her bottom lip "Oh my god" She said in a low voice emphasising every word.

"Wow taking the lord name in vain it must have been hot!" Laura said in a low voice, they didn't want anyone over hearing their conversation.

"Oh it was… have you ever had a guy lick you in one go from your toes to your lips?"

"No but it sounds hot and incredibly dirty" Laura said, Riley had the sauciest smile and her face brightened at the recollection.

"Oh it was and he is sooo good with his hands," she said bit her thumb still smiling at the delicious thoughts

"Go Riley!" Laura cheered "And the Major… who knew?"

"Yeah" Riley nodded "He definitely knows his way around a woman"

Laura cocked an eyebrow smiling "Well you know, I figured he'd be a missionary man two grunts and he's done" she teased.

Riley laughed "You are very wrong about him when it comes to many things"

"Oh I know I can tell by the way you haven't stopped smiling that goofy smile and you are kind of glowing…Is it love? Where is this going Riley?" Laura teased smiling

"Shut up" Riley blushed

"So what do you want to do today? Manicures? facials? I want to hear more about these magic hands and details that shouldn't be uttered in the mess" Laura said wriggling her eyebrows

Riley narrowed her eyes and was about to respond when Laura held up her hand and tapped her ear piece.

"Cadman here" she said, she rolled her eyes "Yes sir" she tapped her ear piece "Sorry I've been called back to the ship, rain check?"

"No problem"

"We'll talk later" Laura said she got up and ran.

Riley sat back and looked out at Atlantis and the ocean and took a deep breath and exhaled smiling.

"All Department heads report to the Conference room 1 immediately, Attention all department heads report to the Conference room 1 immediately" came over the PA system.

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Riley limped and winced as she walked into the room, Lorne moved towards her she smiled as he neared, she could smell his cologne as he neared. She felt her heart skip a beat and her cheeks warm, she tried to school her thoughts into safer grounds. She was a professional and she was going to act like one.

"You know what's going on?" she asked as she took a seat, he sat next to her.

"None whatsoever" he said, Sheppard and Weir stood in the middle waiting for everyone to settle into their seats, and once the room settled Weir stepped forward.

"As I'm sure you have all heard, the Ancients have returned" Weir said, some people nodded other murmured and looked excited at the chance to meet the people of who created the Stargates and Atlantis.

Weir continued and told of how they were testing the intergalactic gate bridge, and how they had been on their way to Atlantis when their ship was damaged and Riley started to zone out she had heard it all before from Laura she looked down at her hands she started to feel tired, maybe it hadn't been a good idea to come. She tuned in when Weir said "They have given us 48 hours to vacate the city"

Riley blinked in surprise they had to leave Atlantis, the rest of the room seemed to a mixture of surprise, disappointment and anger. It was not what she was expecting.

Sheppard stepped forward "So we need everyone to pack up their entire department's files and equipment ready for an 0800 departure, if you need extra hands let me know and I'll allocate some people. We'll be leaving via the Stargate while Daedalus takes all the equipment etc."


	25. Chapter 25

Riley stood in Boyd's office, she liked the fact that Boyd kept all the small shipping containers to one side meant she didn't have to go find any she just hoped that 5 would fit all of his stuff.

After the meeting Lorne helped her out of her seat, but Sheppard called him to talk about something so she left and headed straight to the office to pack up. She'd rather get all of the packing done now. Her stomach was in knots they had to leave Atlantis. She wondered what it meant for her and Lorne, they hadn't really discussed where their relationship was going. If it was just a fling, what was she going to do when they got back to Earth?

She knew he'd be stationed somewhere, but would he want her to follow him? she pulled open the empty container and started piling in the books off of Boyd's bookcase. She mulled over her options, she loved him, agreed definitely in love with Lorne. She could safely say he liked her a lot and maybe even more but until the words were uttered it didn't mean it was true. She just have to 'man' up and ask him what they were going to do and go by whatever he wanted and hoped it was what she wanted. There were too many uncertainties.

A knock on the door disturbed her thoughts she look over her shoulder and Lorne walked in "Hey" he said. He came up beside her and leaned back on the desk. "Shouldn't you be resting?" he asked

"Well I only have 48 hrs to pack up Boyd's office and I figure he wouldn't want one of his grunts to do it" Riley said he took the books she had out of her hands and placed them into the box.

"Come here" he said he pulled her towards him so she was standing between his legs. He had his hands on her hips. "We need to talk"

"Oh the famous four words no likes to hear" Riley said, she looked everywhere but not at him

"Let me go first, I'm crazy about you" she said, Lorne smiled he knew better but wasn't going to call her on it yet. "I know we've been only dating for a couple of months but I can see potential in what we have"

She swallowed and licked her lips "I don't have any plans, I haven't had any plans for the last 6 months so when we get back to Earth I have no Idea what's going to happen after I get debriefed. I have no idea how it's going to work but I want to try… but if you don't-" he placed a hand over her mouth to silence her.

"I don't know what will happen either… But I do know that I have R&R …2 weeks of it… I was hoping you'd accept my invitation…I told my mum I'd be bringing you home for Thanksgiving"

"What?" Riley said stunned she didn't expect him to say that

"I'll take that as a yes?" he asked

Riley nodded "You want me to meet your parents"

"Yes, and I want to meet your grandparents as well" he kissed her neck and pulled back. Riley looked a mixture of happiness and dazed.

"Ok" She said still stunned she made a face "remind me of this later"

"Why?"

"Just so I know I didn't just hallucinate all of that… the pain killers are affecting my brain"

"Sure, so how did you get out my quarters and to the meeting?" he asked changing the topic.

"Huh? Oh Laura woke me up I was in the Mess Hall" Riley said she rubbed her eyes. "I seriously thought you were going to break up with me" she said she moved to the book case Lorne stood behind her.

"Well, you thought wrong, need a hand with this?" Lorne said he pulled down the books from the top shelf. Riley turned around and looked up at him.

"Don't you have your own department to pack down?" she asked, he stepped forward closing what little space there was between them.

"Yeah but it can wait" he said

Riley stood in her quarters, holding her duffel bag. She was going to miss this room, the place itself in its entirety, the colours, the sounds, the smell and the people who filled her life that were soon going to no longer be around. Everything, she swallowed the lump she felt in her throat. Hot tears burnt the back of her eyes she didn't want to leave this bubble, her home. She couldn't remember another place feeling like home like Atlantis had been.

Lorne waited outside, "That all you brought with you?" he asked, as he took the bag from her hands to carry it for her.

"Yep…What?" she asked when he chuckled.

"Nothing I just thought how funny it was I had 3 boxes and a bag and you only have this and it's so light" he commented as they walked to the transporter.

"I don't own a lot of stuff…and I had one box, Laura took it yesterday" Riley said

They reached the end of the corridor and stood in front of the transporter. Riley looked back.

Riley sighed "I don't want to leave" she said

"Me neither" he agreed, he recalled the first time she was standing outside his quarters with the misshapen mapped drawn on her arm. A lot had changed in two months.

"We'd better hurry…you are in the third group out through the Stargate, I have to wait with Sheppard for everyone to leave before I step through but I'll see you on the other side" he said

Riley stepped into the transporter and Lorne followed the doors closed and Riley pressed the map for the control tower. The doors opened and Riley took her bag from Lorne, "I'll see you on the other side, Starbucks? I want a Blended Caramel crème" Riley said she brushed her hand down his arm and held his hand for a moment. The control room was a bustle of noise and people walking through the activated Stargate.

"Ok, I think we can manage it" Lorne said with an amused smile

"What's this I hear about Starbucks?" Sheppard asked he appeared at Lorne's side.

"I'm saying I can't wait to have Caramel again" Riley said "and real tomato sauce not that Ketchup stuff"

"Awwh you'll come around to the ketchup, it's like that Vegemite stuff you made me try" Sheppard said he made a face of disgust "nasty, but Ronon loves it"

"Yeah I know I managed to get a 2kg container of the stuff for him" Riley said she chuckled as Lorne laughed.

"Well I'm going to say goodbye to Teyla and Ronon before I head through, Gentlemen" Riley said with a nod she walked away.

"Tell me you are going to keep her around" Sheppard said in a low voice to Lorne as Riley was talking to Teyla and Ronon a few feet away. "Not that it's any of my business.. But seeing as I am your commanding officer I feel it's my duty to give you sage advice… I know it's rare for me so don't get too excited"

"I'll try to contain myself, sir" Lorne said dryly

"She's a keeper" he said "Don't mess it up or Cadman will kill you and I will probably feel impelled to help her hide the body" he slapped Lorne on the back.

TBC….

**Author's Note: Yes I know there's more I feel so evil for it but I can't stop! Not yet!**


	26. Chapter 26

Riley looked around the control room one last time imprinting every last detail she could of Atlantis into her memory along with the faces of friends and memories. She smiled at Lorne and stepped through the gate.

On the other side, Riley stepped down the ramp with everyone else into the SGC. She had never been in the place before it was new, to her. The gate room was a stark contrast to Atlantis with a 3 stories high with blast doors at both sides leading to hallways. It was all utilitarian in style, concrete and bare basics of electronics with all the standard signage of safety zones with turret guns in the corners, Soldiers stood at the ready directing people and standing guard.

The Atlantis staffs who were stepping through the gate at a steady stream were being directed to the right down a hallway. Riley barely made it to the bottom of the ramp when two MP's stepped toward her.

"Dr Callahan?" one of the MP's asked

"Yes" Riley said,

"Ma'am, you are to come with us" he said.

Riley looked at the MPs "Am I in trouble?" she asked

"You need to follow us Ma'am" the MP said he directed his hand to the left corridor.

"Ok" she said, confused as to why she was being separated, she wasn't going to argue they had guns.

Riley was escorted to a small room that had no windows there was a table and two chairs and a small camera in the corner of the room. The MP closed the door. Riley took a seat at the table and waited. And waited, time seemed to move deathly slow, Riley didn't have a watch on and there was no clock in the room, she tried to make herself comfortable but the pain killers she had taken that morning at 5am were now starting to wear off. Her leg was starting twinge with pain and her ribs just ached. She looked up at the camera and wondered who was on the other end watching and why was she being held.

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Lorne wandered the SGC halls searching for Riley. He had been debriefed and given his orders, just as Sheppard had promised 2 weeks of R&R and he was being assigned to Cheyenne Mountain, he even got to keep his team. He wondered where she could be, he assumed she would be debriefed by Dr Jackson or someone in the Linguistics Department at least but couldn't find where they were at. He turned down the hallway to Dr Jackson's Office when he reached the door, he noted it was open and casually strolled by and looked in. No one was inside, so he headed to the Mess, No Riley there either. He tried the Infirmary where he ran into Sheppard coming out he stood to attention, now that they were back on Earth.

Military standards that were once lax on Atlantis now had to upheld to the T. "At ease Major" Sheppard said "You come to a pin cushion for the mandatory physical?" he asked

"No sir, I've already had the pleasure" Lorne said "I was looking for Callahan"

"You already lost her?" Sheppard joked he turned to one of the nurses "Nurse, have you seen Dr Riley Callahan, tall redhead limping looks like she lost a bar fight?"

The nurse raised an eyebrow and looked through her list "She hasn't come in yet, but if she was injured she should have come here to be cleared before being debriefed" she said

"Well I'll go find her for you" Sheppard said he gave the nurse a charming smile, Lorne smothered a smile as the nurse blushed and shook her head at Sheppard.

"Lt Colonel Sheppard report to General Landry's Office" rang over the PA system, it repeated again.

"I better go" Sheppard said "Major, you are on your own for now, there are only what 30 or so levels how far could she have gotten?"

SGASGASGASGASGASGASGASGA

Riley groaned how long was she going to be kept waiting, Riley felt slightly ill at being kept locked up she wanted to lie down, a glass of water, some pain killers and more than anything out. She got up from the seat fed up and went to the door, she knew it was locked but tried the handle when it didn't budge she banged on the door.

"Hey open up!" she said she banged on the door a few more minutes when it abruptly opened and the MP stepped forward blocking the exit "Ma'am?"

"How long am I to be kept in this room?" she asked

"I don't know Ma'am" he said

"Can you lock the door and go find out?" she asked

"Ma'am my orders are to keep you here until the IOA representative arrives," he said he closed the door.

"Who is here, MP step aside"a man with a moustache and well tailored suit stepped in. Riley leaned against the wall.

"I am Mr Lessing from the IOA" he said, he placed a bottle of water on the table. She was thirsty but left the bottle untouched.

"Why am I being held?" Riley asked

"Have seat and a drink you've been in here for a while I'd hate for you to be dehydrated" he said he sat down and placed a folder on the table. Riley pulled the chair back as far from the table but enough space the door could be opened.

"Why am I being held?" she repeated, she sat down and winced readjusting her position, her body burned with pain.

"I assure you it's not poisoned" he pulled the lid off and took a sip and placed the water back on the table, Riley just looked at it and folded her arms.

"No thanks, I'd rather leave"

"That won't be happening until you answer some questions"

"Then ask away, so I can go"

"What's the hurry to leave?"

"Umm let's see, I've been in this room for who knows how long and I'm dying for a Blended Caramel Crème been dreaming of it for a month" Riley sassed she really just wanted to lay down on a bed and sleep.

"Well then let's get started" he opened the file

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"Sir, I was asked to report" Sheppard said as he announced himself into the General's Office. General Landry seated behind his desk waved Sheppard in "Yes, close the door and take a seat Colonel"

Sheppard did as ordered and sat down.

"There is an Issue with Callahan" Landry said "Your report has reared up the IOA"

"What kind of issue?" Sheppard asked

"Your report seems to have holes in it Colonel, you are telling me you held Calen for 5 days and he said nothing?" Landry asked,

"Nothing worthwhile Sir, I even had Callahan try talking to him and still he decided to talk about the weather and insult my intelligence" Sheppard said "what's going on?"

"The IOA has sequestered Riley for the last 3 hours they wanted to get her side of the briefing on what happened on the planet about her involvement with Calen and the incident with the ZPM…" Landry said "They think one of you is lying"

Sheppard had omitted everything that Calen had said to him in confessing from the report it was a bunch of leads and he was planning to find substantial proof before handing it over. The fact that the IOA was sniffing around meant someone was trying to misdirect attention onto Riley. Explained how she had disappeared.

"I wrote everything up in the report sir and Kemp corroborates it all and Callahan wrote her report before I even asked" Sheppard said "But there was a discrepancy but it was on my side" he realised he had to tell Landry and lay his cards on the table.

He told Landry of what Calen had told him of a group working under the radar he'd given a list of names and times and information. Sheppard told Landry of his plan to bring an outsider in someone he knew would be able to find concrete details without being discovered or having the group disband before they could be caught. How he wanted to keep it just between the two of them because he didn't know how high it went.

"It was too weak to go, I didn't want to waste our time if it was just Calen's way of saving skin, Sir I need it to be known that we know nothing so we can get them all"

"Makes sense but next time come to me before…I don't appreciate not being in the loop it's why my title is General and yours is Colonel"

"So what about Callahan?" Sheppard asked

"You say she's not involved" Landry asked

"Not in the slightest Sir" Sheppard said "My word"

"Your word" Landry said "I hope it's not your last, you are dismissed I'll fix this mess"

"Thank you Sir" Sheppard got up and turned for the door.

"Oh Sheppard?" Landry said, Sheppard stopped and turned back to face the General.

"Yes Sir" he said.

"Earmark the person you want hired" Landry said "Go to Isolation Room 12 and tell the IOA representative I wish to speak with him"

"Yes Sir" Sheppard said,

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Riley was asked many questions to the point she wanted to vomit. The room felt incredibly small and claustrophobia was setting in.

"How did you come to be on Atlantis?"

"An I.O.U. note, Dr Henry Boyd had a family emergency and he asked for me to fill in… I refused and then he pulled and I.O.U. he won a couple years ago in a poker game. I fulfil my debts"

"Family emergency?"

"I don't know" Riley said sighing, it was getting hot in the room. she shrugged off her jacket.

"Are you ok?" Mr Lessing asked

"I have 3 broken ribs, stitches and bruises I should be lying down and yet here I am being asked questions you can read in my file"

"Define your relationship with Lt Calen"

"We served together in Iraq four year ago, that's it when I left the Army I didn't stay in contact with him until Atlantis where we crossed paths again"

"and then?"

"Then what? We didn't braid each other's hair and talk about boys.. it was more like he was a flirt and I tried not to bitch slap him"

The door to the room opened, and Sheppard stuck his head in "Sir, General Landry wants to speak with you now" he said

"Tell the General I'm in the middle of something" Mr Lessing said, Sheppard stepped into the room and leaned against the wall.

"Colonel you are not required in here" Mr Lessing said

"I've also been ordered to escort Miss Callahan to the Infirmary for the mandatory physical" Sheppard said "It's drafty in the hallway, so I'll wait in here for you two to finish"

"Colonel you are trying my patience"

"Just imagine I'm not here" Sheppard winked at Riley who looked exhausted.

Mr Lessing looked less than impressed, he closed the file he had on the desk and picked it up "Miss Callahan I think we are done for now. But I would like you to stay in the country"

"Forget it, if you want to ask me anymore pointless questions you can direct them to my attorney, I'll leave the number at your office if you give me a card" Riley said, Mr Lessing dropped his business card on the table before he left.

Sheppard stepped forward "What was he asking you?"

"Stupid questions, Help me up" she said, holding her hand out, Sheppard stepped forward and pulled her up she groaned "Awwh I feel like an old woman"

"You definitely aren't, come on you going to make it to the Infirmary"

"Do I have to?"

Sheppard laughed "Yeah you do"

He held her arm as she used him as a crutch, they headed out the door "You want me to carry you?" he asked

"If you even try I'll kick your ass" Riley said, Sheppard laughed as they headed towards the elevator. "Thanks for getting me out it was starting to get really claustrophobic in there…"

"No problem it was kind of my fault you were stuck in there" he said he pressed the button for the elevator. The doors slid open and Lorne stood there "Sir, Ma'am" he said standing to the side.

"Ma'am did I miss something?"

"Military standards" Sheppard said

"ahh" Riley said smiling at Lorne as the doors closed.

Sheppard turned to Lorne "Major take over for me, make sure Miss Callahan goes straight to the Infirmary for the mandatory physical and her debrief"

"Yes sir" Lorne said stepping towards Riley he held his arm to her.

"Haven't I already been debriefed enough for one day?" Riley asked looking at Sheppard, he shrugged

"I only follow orders Ma'am" sheppard said tartly "suck it up"

Riley poked her tongue out at Sheppard as the doors opened "So, we should all have dinner later at O'Malley's one last hoorah before we all part ways" Sheppard said as they stepped out of the elevator.

"Maybe depends on if I get out my Debriefing alive" Riley said "but sure count me in, Major?"

"Sure I'm on R&R after 5pm" Lorne said

"Good, O'Malley's 7pm don't be late" Sheppard said he stepped back onto the elevator and waved goodbye.


	27. Chapter 27

Riley finished up in the infirmary and held her arm "Anything else you want while I'm here doc?" She sassed to Dr Lam "A kidney or some of my liver?"

The woman smiled as she scribbled on her chart "Nope that's all, you are free to go"

"Excellent" Riley slid to the floor and picked up her jacket and shrugged into it.

"Oh before you go" Dr Lam said "You should take this with you" she held up a cane and passed it to Riley.

"Cheers" Riley said looking at the cane like it was poisonous but took it anyway.

She walked over to Lorne using the cane for Dr Lam's benefit "time for my debriefing Major, where am I to go?"

"Dr Jackson's Office" Lorne said they walked side by side down the halls it was amusing because him being so serious compared to when he was on Atlantis. Riley wanted to tease him but decided to wait until later. They stepped into the elevator and the doors closed they were alone for the time being Lorne turned Riley "I'm going to requisition a vehicle to get off base, while you are being debriefed… any preference where we stay tonight?" he asked

"hmm as long as there is a bed I don't mind" Riley said

"Are you alright?" he asked, noticing her looking tired. She leaned against the wall of the elevator.

"Yeah I'm fine, IOA were questioning me about Calen" she said "After making me wait in a chair for what seemed like an eternity"

"I tried to find you" he said, wanting to know he had missed her presence, even if he couldn't show her.

I don't doubt that Major" Riley said she gave him a knowing smile, the doors slid open on the floor and Lorne gestured for her to go first holding the door. "Thank you"

Riley followed Lorne to Dr Jackson's office, Lorne nodded to Riley and then headed off leaving her. She knocked on the door frame as she stepped into the office, Dr Jackson looked up from his notes "Dr Callahan, come in"

Riley smiled "Dr Jackson, how are you?"

"Looking better than you, here have a seat" he said pulling a stool over for her "What happened?"

"Oh just a little venture off world gone bad" Riley said taking a seat she put the cane on the table "So you wanted to debrief me?" she looked around the office there were ancient artefacts all over the place, books stacked haphazardly and a black board with Ancient scribbled across it with a translation about a 'san graal'.

"I promise it won't take long I just wanted to say you've done an excellent job"

"thanks but it was really a team effort" Riley said picking up a book on the table and flicking through the pages.

"The linguistics department's efficiency went up by 15% in the last month"

"You actually care about that?"

"Not really, but that's what HR told me" Jackson admitted, Riley shook her head and laughed.

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Lorne waited outside Jackson's office for Riley the two seemed to be laughing about something, he had stuck his head in briefly enough that Riley noticed him but Dr Jackson hadn't.

"Well, Jackson thank you for the offer… I'll take it" he heard Riley say.

"Really, not even going to think about it?" Jackson asked Lorne wondered what they were talking about and continued to eavesdrop.

"Well, as much as I love drinking beer on the couch all day it does get monotonous" Riley said

"I can't even imagine how you coped" Jackson said dryly

"Well you know it's a hard life, So if we are done… I gotta rack off" Riley trailed,

"Of course, I'll talk to you in 3 weeks" Jackson said, it sounded like Riley was getting up as a sound of a chair scraping on the concrete followed by the clack of the cane hitting the floor.

"Done, nice catching up Dr Jackson" Riley said

"Daniel" Jackson prompted

"Daniel" Riley said "See ya later"

"Bye"

Riley stepped into the corridor and turned to Lorne, they walked to the Elevator and he pressed the button for up. "Bags are in the car, ready go?" Lorne asked as they waited for the elevator.

"Definitely ready" Riley said looking at Lorne, he stepped closer to her

"You know we could skip the dinner" he suggested in a low voice in her ear, she turned to him.

"No way, I want kick your ass at pool and have a cold beer" Riley said with a cocky grin, Lorne was going to respond when the doors opened for the elevator there were two Airmen already inside, they stepped in and the doors closed.

"So how did the debrief go?" Lorne asked as he pressed the button for the surface.

"Very well and much less painful than I thought" Riley said she leaned against the wall and raised an eyebrow at the two airmen who were looking in her direction. "I got a job offer as well" she added

"Really" Lorne said, not surprised he had heard her accepting the job "What's the job?"

"Assistant Administrator for the Linguistic department here on the base" Riley said.

The elevator doors opened on level 16 and the two airmen stepped off the doors closed and the elevator continued its ascent.

"What do you think?" she asked

"I think it's a good opportunity, you should take it" he said as he stepped towards her closing the space between them and looked down at her their bodies barely touching.

"Good because I already have" Riley said, pushing off the wall slightly "Speaking of work…Have you gotten your orders yet?"

"I have" Lorne teased not letting her know.

"You going to share Major or is it classified?" Riley drawled she had a lazy smile on her face.

"I'm to report back here in 2 weeks" he answered, the Elevator stopped before the doors opened Lorne stepped back and cleared his throat. A scientist stepped in, Riley smiled at Lorne who took up the 'at ease' military stance.

"Looks like the PTB's like you Major" Riley said with an amused smile. She couldn't wait to get off the base and celebrate.

"How so Ma'am?" Lorne asked,

"Uncle Sam is keeping you on his pay roll which means I can make some money tonight at pool" Riley said

"We'll see" Lorne said.

SGASGASGASGASGASGASGA

After checking into their hotel, showering among other activities, they had somehow managed to arrive at O'Malley's early.

Riley liked the pub... it was the kind of place a person could hang out and relax a little. Decent music, plenty beer on tap, and pool tables everything you could ask for. Riley was feeling better to be off the base she was amazed that she was still able to stand somehow she had a feeling in two hours she was going to crash and burn. She watched as Lorne racked up the balls on the table. Lorne was looking better than ever dressed in a navy blue button shirt and jeans. She couldn't decide whether she liked him more in his uniform, out of it or in his civilian clothes.

Riley leaned on a pool cue, he was taking his time making sure it was set up correctly he flipped the triangle mould and gestured "Ladies first, you can break" he offered

"Sure that's wise?" Riley asked

"I'll take my chances… you want to make it interesting?" he asked

"Sure why not what do you suggest $20?"

"An I.O.U." Lorne said

"Hmm I can see getting an I.O.U. on you could work to my advantage" Riley said in mock contemplation.

He place his hands on her hips and turned her to the table "You have to win first" he whispered in ear, he kissed her neck and then let her go stepping back. He admired her figure as she bent over the Pool table to take the shot. She made a shot and the triangle of balls dispersed into a wild pattern sinking a striped ball, she grinned and sunk another two more before missing a shot.

She stepped back and gestured to Lorne "Your shot" she said. She moved with him holding her cue he leaned down readying his shot, she leaned down beside him brushing her body against his.

"Make it a good one." she breathed against his neck lightly and deliberately as she spoke, Lorne's heart missed a beat at Riley's closeness. He raised an eyebrow at her as to say move back and make it a fair game, Riley grinned as if reading his mind and stood back to let him take the shot he lined up.

"I hope you are ready to write that I.O.U." he said with a smile as he took his shot and sunk two in one go. He stood up, and moved around the table and began to show off as he sunk ball after ball strategically. He even began to shoot the cue behind his back, while facing Riley with playful smile. As he heard the last ball sink, Lorne stepped up to Riley who was stunned at losing so quickly.

"My game." he said confidently "I believe you owe me a note" he said smugly.

"ah, you" Riley pointed at the table, Lorne took the pool cue from her hand. "How?"

"University Snooker and pool champion, went to Edinburgh for the final comp came in second" Lorne said smugly, he held out a pen to her.

"That is sneaky" she said narrowing her eyes at him, she had a playful smile on her lips. She took the pen from him and clicked it.

"You never asked if I played well, write" he said pulling a blank coaster out and pointed to it.

"Hey, you two are early" Sheppard said joining them he looked over Riley's shoulder "an I.O.U. note I thought you didn't like writing them"

"I lost a game of pool" Riley explained shaking her head.

Sheppard laughed "Nice work Lorne… I take it you didn't know that Lorne here is champ at pool?" Riley shot Sheppard a withering look "You want me to witness that?" he offered innocently.

Riley handed him the pen and Sheppard wrote his name as witness and signed, and laughed evilly. "Who wants a beer?"

"Me" Riley said handing the coaster to Lorne, he took it and placed it in his wallet for safe keeping.

"I'll get a pitcher" Sheppard said he walked off to the bar leaving them.

"If I had known you were going to wipe the floor with me then I would have suggested poker" Riley said after Sheppard was out of ear range. Lorne chuckled as he put his wallet away he pulled Riley into his arms.

"What you want to lose all your clothes as well?" he breathed in her ear,

"Haha, I believe I'd end up with all your clothes" Riley said she pulled on his shirt "I particularly like this shirt"

**Author's note: Yay! I'm not sure if I'm done yet so I'm leaving it open... I'm thinking about starting a Second story titled I.O.U. 2 or maybe a better title where we meet the families and have childhood stories or something … I'm open to suggestions! And welcome all reviews! Thank you all for reading my stories and of course hope you enjoy them! **

**Have a Merry Christmas and Safe Happy New Years! ~ Aya xox**


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